Biohazard: Outbreak Files
by GNY-002 Gundam Sadalsuud
Summary: Chris Redfield knew that when he survived Arklay mansion nothing would ever be the same. He would've left Raccoon city in search for the truth, for the things hidden by Umbrella's umbrella. But Jill convinced Chris to stay in the city in search for the truth, for the G-Virus right in their hometown. After all, the truth might be closer than they knew.
1. Outbreak

Not sure this will have readers but hope the (hopefully) potential readers will like it. If not, then comment on what is wrong and how it could be improve. :)

So, this story has been on my mind for a month and wouldn't leave. Then I decided to just write it out to unstuck it. And regarding the Genre, I couldn't put in horror, since I don't know jackshit about writing one or suspense, for the same reason too. So I decided to put it in General and Sci-fi, because raising the dead is impossible (maybe for now or whatever. hehe) and is considered only in Fictional works.

Yeah, also sorry if I got things wrong like characters being OOC, it's not my intent but more on my inexperience as an amateur writer.

Disclaimer: I do not own Resident Evil/ Biohazard franchise in anyway and is merely doing this out of entertainment. Capcom and all it's creators own everything.

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Chris Redfield read the file given by the woman in red suit who typed away. The info she had wasn't much and it was expected of him because Umbrella, corrupt as they were, were good at covering their tracks. All of Alpha teams' gathered file on the Arklay mansion presented as evidence vanished like the wind, no small thanks to that bastard Chief Irons. The son of a bitch was on the payroll of Umbrella, they realized too late when everything was swept under. Their solid evidence on the truth hidden by Umbrella shadow, all of it gone. No wonder the damn fat man can afford to his expensive shitty paintings.

Luckily, they had copies of it but even then, the Corporation had huge hold of Raccoon's media company. Maybe not just Raccoon city but most also on the Goverment that even if they presented everything on court, the evidence would be swept under the rug just like with RPD. Not only were they forcefully gagged but were also fired and kept under tabs by agents of Umbrella. There were "accidents" that nearly killed them causing Barry to move out in fear for his family's safety, and Rebecca finding a temporary place to hide on. After they've proven to survive that, they had been left alone. Chris thought that it may be due to the fact that what could a small handful of people with no real power or connections do? So now, only him and Jill were left to investigate the truth.

Alyssa Ashcroft was a blessing from heaven because she also kept a copy of the files as part of her undergoing investigation of the shady corporation. She had personal stake in it and he understood why. It all came back when they were still dating last year and before it all fell out. _The returning nightmares._ At first Chris didn't believe fully her words and her encounter of on that, but after experiencing hell themselves in the Arklay forest he believed it fully. He and Jill was not stopping until the truth is revealed for all to see.

"Are you sure this is all?" the ex-STARS member asked the blonde journalist. "There had to be more." The woman in front of him looked at him raising her eyebrow, probably thinking 'Are you doubting my skills, Chris?'

He couldn't doubt Alyssa, she was one of the best journalist he'd known. She had more connection underground than him, and if her sources couldn't find a whisper of it, then it means it was tightly kept than usual. So with a sigh, he set down the files and leaned against his chair. He told Jill that it was a bad idea to stay in Raccoon city due to the fact they were under tight watch. It would've be better if they left as his friends from the top had info about an Umbrella secret lab in Europe. Maybe they'd hit the jackpot with the rumored "G Virus" but she refused to let him do this alone. Hell, the woman even managed to convince him to stay. _Women,_ he thought with a sigh.

"Thanks anyways, Lys. I owe you one," he said looking at the quiet bar. It was odd for a bar to be this silent on a Friday night. Raccoon city even if it was a suburban city always had young people flocking the bars on Friday night finally free from the burden of school. The day was slow anyway so he shook it off as one of the quirks of the city. He turned his focus on the news on the television showed of the riot footage earlier afternoon.

His ex-girlfriend smirked back, "No problem. The least I could do for giving me solid proof."

"Dirt that couldn't be used," he scoffed.

It was a sad fact, the ex-cop introspected as he drank his beer. All that information gathering dust and can't be used as their leverage against the big company. Umbrella had too much hold on outside and inside Raccoon.

Alyssa only snorted in response, "Dirt that couldn't be used yet, Chris. I know there would be a time to use it. I just know it."

Chris wished he could be somehow positive as her but all the things he experienced on that mansion? The former cop somehow doubt it would happen and it would take a miracle to do it. Some of the things they read was inconspicuous, but none was done to investigate it, i.e. the Arklay forest attacks, the questionable events in Arklay hospital. It was a miracle he was trying to make but Umbrella Pharmaceuticals blocked every step of their way. The G-Virus they'd briefly heard was all leading to dead ends. Their leads were of no help. "You seem sure of it Lys," he said drinking his beer. He doubted he could ever be drunk again so he saw no need to held back from drinking. "Might consider tellin' me why?"

His ex only smirked, "All secrets get out Chris. One way or another." That's Alyssa for him. Tenacious as a hound, one of the reasons he loved her. Coupled that with her temper you've got one hell of a woman. He would pity the old fool that would make her mad.

"Of course, you would say that," he rolled his eyes. "It's your job."

The blonde woman cocked her eyebrow at him in response while typing. He missed their banter like this when Chris looked back at their relationship. He didn't even know why they broke up. Was it something big? So much had happened in a year that the reason for his breaking up was trivial now.

"That's what I do best, Redfield," Redfield, the former STARS thought wryly shaking his head. Chris supposed that he could never stop her from calling him with his last name rather than his given one from time to time. She knew he didn't like being call Redfield outside of formal settings because it reminded him of their dad. He knew that the reason why Alyssa kept doing that just to annoy him. Not that it did when it was her.

Their banter was cut short when the bell on the door rang and an injured man entered the bar. His clothes all tattered and he was bleeding. Immediately, he stood to help the man out. It seemed he and the waiter had the same idea. He approached the man to see if he was alright.

"Sir, are you okay?" said the waiter as Chris was approaching them. "Come on sir, let's get you bandaged while we call the ambulance." The bars' waiter grabbed his hand to lead him to a booth.

The man immediately pounced on him making the waiter scream as his throat was bitten and blood flowed out of him. He paled at the recognition. T-Virus! Unless the man was an avid cannibal, T-Virus was the only reason for biting someone without provocation. Ignoring the panic cries of others, he was quick on whipping out his Samurai Edge and pulled the trigger. Blood splattered on the floor as the dead man was put out of his misery.

"Will!"

The waitress was fast on helping his friend but he warned her not to touch him. She squirmed and gave him a dirty look but he ignored it. No need for anyone else to die on his watch. "Don't touch him. Alyssa, lower the blinds!" He urgently ordered the woman as he blocked the door with the barrels.

The customers were now looking at him with worry, especially the SPF officer. "Don't move! Put your hands where I can see them!" the Police officer ordered, aiming a gun at him.

"I'd better follow him, if I were you pal," the black man wearing the blue jacket let out his gun and directed it at him.

Are they crazy? They saw what happened someone died of someone else's and they're arresting him? His gut was telling him shit was about to blow. The same gut he felt when he landed in Wesker's palm. Shit was about to get bad. Real bad.

Chris didn't follow them as he gently pulled the crying blonde waitress away from her friend. It won't take long for it to take effect. "Stay away, you don't want him to kill you like the man did earlier to him," Chris explained. She was clearly resisting the urge to go to the fallen man.

"What? We can't leave him to die," Cindy, the waitress' name emblazoned on the name tag, resisted his pull a little.

"I'm sorry, but he's already dead and you know it." The waitress covered her face as she cried.

Pulling out his knife he approached the dead man. "I said don't move, Ex-Police Chris Redfield! You're under arrest for murder." Murder, he scoffed at it.

"Hey, are you blind? He did to save that man. It was an act of self-defense, now put that gun down," Alyssa's harsh voice thundered at the RPD Officer.

RPD Officer glared at Chris vehemently, "Do you know who he is? He left his squadmates to die against crazy cannibals."

Dammit they don't have time to argue. If one was here then that means it won't be alone because the T-Virus Zombie may have already killed someone.

"I know him better than you do," his former girlfriend stood defiantly crossing her arms. "He's done a job better than any of you SPF."

Looking at Alyssa he gave her a tired look. Chris tried the easy way so, he didn't want to do this but he was left no choice as he knew they need to hurry the hell out of the bar before more of those came. With a quick dash, the ex-STARS officer quickly disarmed the Police Officer and threw his knife at the dead mans' head making all of them scream. The rotund black man still maintained his aim fearlessly regardless of his feat, while RPD officer grunted, nearly screaming, as he hit against the wooden bar.

"What… what are you?" said the Asian young woman who hid behind a plumber who had his knife out. A quick glance at the man made Chris guess the man was an experienced fighter base on his stance alone.

"We do-"

He couldn't answer it because a harsh knocking came from outside. It pounded continuously on the windows and door. It was a good thing that the windows were now blocked or else if they would be seen, the undead's aggression would increase. Not only that these people would be expose to the horrors the STARS teams were shown. Chris couldn't help but be reminded of the nightmare of Arklay but only this time it involved a part of the city which could still spread out. _Or so I hope._

"Miss," Chris glanced at the still shaken woman. "Is there any fire exit around here?" The urgency in his voice was obvious as the woman nodded in reply. He may not be part of RPD anymore but the black haired ex-Police Officer in him wouldn't leave these people to face the T-Virus.

The waitress paled when the banging became louder. "No, we don't have a back exit."

"Anything, will do."

Shakily, she pointed at the door near the bathroom. "The hotel next to the bar, it's possible to jump on it through the roof." They had to hurry because the doors and windows were the only thing protecting them from the zombies' snarling viasge. It would hold them for now, but he didn't know how long it'd last.

"Let's move out people! We don't have time."

"Why should we listen to you?" Mark, as the nametag calls him, said and walked towards the door slowly with his friend who kept on coughing. He didn't have time for this. Mark jumped back when the snarling bloody face of an undead met his surprised voice. The train conductor screamed but was quickly silenced by Alyssa with a cover to his mouth.

"Are you crazy! Do you want more of them to hear us!?" She hissed pulling him far from the windows. It was the first time Alyssa ever saw a T-Virus victim despite in his quiet moments, she was the one he told of what happened on Arklay mansion. He trusted her just as he trusted Barry, Jill, Brad, and Rebecca. "The gunshot probably led them to us and we do not need more." she said her voice quivering. He could tell that she was barely holding, at least better than these people do.

"Come on! Let's move out! Grab anything that could be used as a weapon!" Chris barked as he gave Officer Kevin his gun back. They'd need to help each other if they were to survive. They briefly introduced each other and marched out of the bar and upstairs.

J's bar's second floor was deathly quiet with the undead howls as the one the one that made noise now that he realized it. Gunshots rang together with garbled words together with the scream of helpless others echoing into the night then suddenly becoming quiet. He motioned for them to be quiet as they walked towards safety supposed safety. He lead them Samurai Edge and hunting knife ready to kill anything.

Alyssa, equipped with her taser, matched his pace walked beside him as he secured their path. SPF Member Kevin Ryman covered the rear equipped with Colt M1911A1. Mark was indisposed as he was supporting his friend and David protected the weaponless ones of their group with a broom. Mainly George, Cindy, Yoko, Jim, and Mark.

"Chris, is this the T-Virus in your file? The one you, Jill and the survivors described?" Alyssa muttered coolly. It was good acting but in all the years Chris knew her, he knew she was anxious, afraid even, under her cool exterior. Reading or listening the horrors were one thing, but it was another to experience it firsthand. Nothing ever prepared anyone of something T-Virus was capable of unleashing.

A brief nod to the others, he cut on the corner. The moans of the dead may have been silent as they got away from the barging horde on the bar. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or bad. Maybe they were already making their way upstairs silently. The fact that there were already bodies when they reached the outside of the staff room worried him. He signaled for the others to stop.

Chris hoped that Jill would be okay even if they were on the other side of the town. He already lost enough friends thanks to Umbrella. Focusing on the present, he stabbed the heads all because he couldn't take a chance that they were already dead. Gesturing for them to come out now.

"Quick, find anything we can use," Mark ordered the others as he gently set down his friend on the Sofa of the lobby.

All of them scurried and Chris searched every drawer in the room for anything useful but all he could find was useless objects ranging from paper clips, to empty bottle. In one of the top drawers, he found a bandage and quickly pocketed it. Not much aside from Cindy finding a the commonly seen yet effective _Fire_ and _Water_ plant, also known as red and blue herbs by the the outside world.

"I found the gun!" Cindy called from the locker room on the left of the entrance or the locker room since she worked there, the blonde waitress knew the place better and went to see if their co-worker really had a gun as she said earlier.

"Bat!" Jim shouted.

"Nailgun!" The doctor supplied.

"Bullets and herbs!" Alyssa said. Briefly Chris wondered why a bar would need gun but he remembered that lately there had been a higher crime rate. Convenience stores, Jewelry shop and bars were targeted. Most of all "mysterious" disappearance on the woods and on the edge of the city where only parts of people were left, of course the people would want to have a gun for defense. The people's cry for justice on those deaths were left unanswered by theirs truly, the RPD, and the STAR's replacement, the SPF.

"Redfield! We could use the nailgun to bar the door in case whatever those, catch up with us," The SPF suggested looking at the wood near the door less entrance and he agreed as they called the others.

It was tedious process and every minute they spent nailing the wood was second the moans got nearer. He saw Yoko shivered when the moans came back and getting closer. Looking to the others momentarily, David stood guard in case the zombies catch up quickly, put a hand on Yoko's shoulder making her smile a little. Cindy grasped her gun on her chest and Alyssa, her stance hard, looked beyond them and to where the stairs where.

"Come on, guys," Jim's very much panicking state was very obvious in his tone. "Come on. Come on. Come on. Hurry."

"Goddammit," Kevin grunted as he pieced a wood on the wall. "If you want us to hurry then help us."

"I hear them," Jim muttered and his hold on the weapon shaky. The former Police officer understood his fears. Their team, the best of the RPD, all of them were caught unprepared when they landed in Arklay forest. Bravo team had only one survivor throughout the whole ordeal, even then Rebecca confessed to the remaining members of STARS that it was thanks to her cooperation with a convict, former Army Lt. Billy Coen, was she only able to survive. So, what more for civilians who knew nothing about the virus, had to training or discipline?

"Here they come," the warning came from the bulky security guard when a horde of them rounded on the corner of the stairs. Hungry moans came out of their mouth as they walked towards them with the finesse of a limped person. "Take this!" He opened fire with his Glock 17. Their were numerous banging of body hitting the floor.

Kevin's muttered as they nearly finish their barricade now while Mark, with Cindy supporting him, provided covering fire. He didn't want to see the undead heading their way and only focused on the job. _Go, go, go!_ His mind raced.

"Come on," Alyssa pulled him and Kevin before they could finish the barricade. The ex-cop retrieved his custom handgun and aimed for the heads. All his shots pierced the zombies' head adding to the pile Mark did.

A simple kick from him destroyed the door as they ran upstairs quickly. The undead was catching up, and quickly. He could hear it, the wooden barricade being pounded upon.

When they reached the Liquor room, he immediately locked the room and searched for something big to block it with.

"Guys! Let's just block the door! Isn't there anything we could use to block it!" Jim said who kept biting his nails as he, along with the others kept on glancing the door.

"There's barrels here and we could use the table and refrigerator inside the room," the waitress advised. Chris could see her shaking hands. Gazing into his hands, it spasmed erratically too but he formed a fist and took a deep breath. He put the thought of Jill aside for the moment, she would survive this if it hits their part of town. He had faith in her. They were part of STARS, the best of the best Raccoon Police Department had to offer. She wouldn't die so easy, Jill was at one point a candidate for the most famous group of the Navy Seals.

So, they moved it. Chris with the help of Mark carried it and laid it down. Kevin and David each pulled a barrel they found while the others scavenged for more useful things. It was tough work but only when they were done did he sigh in relief. The fridge alone would be enough to block the door and keep them out. _Hopefully._

Most members of their group were shaking, paling, or stood in place when the T-Virus Zombies punched the doors with their guttural call and echoed in the hall of the Cellar. They blocked the door but it was a dead end. They could climb the shelves and into the air vent but that would mean leaving behind Mark's friend.

He had no choice but to do forcefully open it, not that he'd ever refuse to use it when peoples' life where on the line. "Stand back, everyone. Kevin, cover me and shoot anything that come out of it." Putting a hand on the indents of the metal wall from him, despite it being rusted, easily pulled it up easily than any other man. Chris had no time for their gawking, the Zombies were still pushing the door and he wasn't confident how long it'll last. "Let's move!" He said leading the way and they exited on the roof.

Crows flew overhead cooed ominously as he turned his gaze upwards, Chris' heart sank. The skies were burning, and everything on the ground both in the far away horizon and those near them lit in orange and red hue. In every direction the former STARS members looked smoked billowed upwards. The situation was worse than he thought.

"Come on," Cindy led. "It's just around the corne- ahhh!" the woman screamed running back slipping around the corner followed by a familiar groaning.

"Cindy!" Jim screamed. When they turned around the corner two undead were approaching the felled waitress. He wasted no time aiming. Just as he was about to press the trigger, someone fired two shot first and glanced to see it was Mark. The two shots hit both zombies' head and sending the zombies flying back from the closeness. Even as he supported Bob, the man was good.

They kept walking and the black man's friend, Bob, coughs kept getting worse. "Put me down Mark," the man said weakly and when Mark protested he released himself from the latter falling and leaned against the wall.

"We're so close now man, I ain't gonna leave you now."

Mark properly positioned the sick man against the wall. While this was happened, the ex-Police could hear the moaning of zombies. It was not only him who noticed this, Jim along with Yoko and Cindy kept glancing back.

"Go! I would only burden you." The sick friend of Mark shouted and pushed him away then coughing. It pained Chris to see things end like this. Umbrella will answer for many things, both him and Jill swore that the moment they escaped the nightmare called Arklay mansion alive along with Barry, Brad, and Rebecca. His promise had never been this strong before. Whatever it takes, they would make sure the company would pay for this. "Go on. I'll hold them if they catch up."

Chris looked away not wanting to see the older man be in pain anymore. It hit him too close on the heart. Reminding him of their dad's death on the hospital bed. He put a hand of Mark's shoulder and said nothing, not wanting to ruin the moment between on what look long time friends. A bond that maybe transcending all, even those of blood.

"Okay," Mark replied without wavering. "You better kill some of those bastards you fool."

"Who do you take me for? I'm the better marksman between the two of us. Remember Vietcong?" Bob smirked. "Now go," with his free hand the man pushed Mark away. They left Bob, and no one said anything. They all knew his fate and no condolence, sorry would change it.

Someone muttered something, but his attention was elsewhere. He was focusing on the sounds from far away. It was all a mix, but he registered possibly some ambulance or police sirens there. The former STARS wouldn't want to be sure, but he hoped he really was wrong or else they were in knee deep shit. Fire rising through the air were rampant throughout the city.

Gunshots rang below and beside him Cindy winced. Bob, leading them beside Cindy kept up his pace.

After minutes of walking they stood on the edge of building where they will jump from the other side.

"Kevin," said Chris. "I'll jump first so that I can catch them in case they slipped. Cover the rear flank in case any zombies show up," said man grunted getting his custom handgun.

Chris easily made the jump and gestured for them to follow. Cindy went first. "Here I go," the waitress slowly walked forwards and looked down. Chris couldn't fault the civilians for their trepidation.

"Don't worry," he smiled, "I'll catch you."Cindy backed for a second then ran. Chris caught her hand and quickly pulled her up.

He signaled for someone to follow and the most reluctant of them and youngest , Yoko, went first. Jim screamed when she nearly fell. Mark, despite his age was strong enough to do it on his own. All of them got their safely. _Almost._ Kevin was the last one to jump.

Evacuation orders were called, and they heard it just as Kevin was the last to jump, hoards of zombies came from the corner and came scuttling towards them but could only bounce against the metal fence.

"You better catch me Redfield!" Kevin shouted running and mid jump near the ledge, Chris caught the police officer's hands and pulled him easily.

"Five minutes," Kevin stated.

With him and Kevin in the lead, they entered the building wary of anything. "Clear," they both said at the same time. The rooftop entrance was empty and held nothing for them to use aside from the elevator and stairs.

Quickly ushering them inside the elevator, they went towards the ground floor. Chris went left as the other police went right, a zombie stood blocking the door and without preamble, he ran and stabbed its head killing it silently then gestured for them to follow.

The scene they saw when they got out was one out of nightmares. People ran screaming and panicking as hordes of T-Virus infected moaned chasing after them from the 35th street. Gunshot after gunshot rang out the street outside of J's bar coming from an RPD officer. Chris never would had expected in all his life to see Raccoon city left to chaos by the undead. They all thought it was over when Arklay was laid to waste along with every secret it held and the only problem of exposing Umbrella its true colors for everyone to see. The nightmare was supposed to be over and none of this scene they were seeing was to become true.

All they wanted was justice for those victims, families of victims, the STARS Bravo Team that's why they fought in ways they can to let the world know of what has Umbrella kept hidden under its shadows. All they they wanted was to show everyone the truth, but not this way with the lid blowing up on everyone's face!

"Hurry! Push those cars to block them!" A police officer stood shooting the dead continuously. The cop reeled back screaming when hands popped out under the car. As sudden as it appeared, the pair of hands grabbed his foot with strong enough force making him fall and dragging him.

"Kevin!" the officer sighed in relief. "and Redfield. Thank god, your still alive. We need all help we can get! There's been riot throughout Raccoon and the police is stretch thin! Chris could see the fear in his eyes, but Raymond's form never wavered for the the others to see.

 _This is no riot,_ the ex- police officer knew. No amount of training ever prepared anyone for anything like the T-Virus, not even the STARS. They, the remaining survivors of Arklay tried to warn everyone. Heck, they had evidence, but no one believed them. It was them against the world!

"Arthur!"

Both he and Kevin ran towards Arthur who kicked and screamed in protest.

"Help!" with eyes wide, head and body curled upwards looking at the upside down, the man stretched his hands towards them. The man shouted, blood sprayed from beneath the car and soon yanked into the shadows.

"Arthur! Answer me man," the chubby cop frantically approached the vehicle but Chris stopped him from doing so.

Now that he'd seen him near, Chris recognized the man, but he wasn't close to him not even acquaintances. Raymond Douglas, a good man but unfortunately in the end didn't believe them. Who would? Every word even the evidence sounded crazy alone.

Arthur, the now deceased RPD officer, on the otherhand Chris knew him somehow. Unlike the others which scoffed at them, Arthur kept and open mind and listened to their tales. The man didn't believed them fully, the events of Arklay happened but no zombies, no Tyrant. The man was looking for a logical reason. A good man and an honest officer.

"Those freaks got Arthur! We gotta rescue him!"

Kevin shook his head, "He's dead. You don't want to his sacrifice to be in vain."

"He's dead already," Alyssa butted in pale as snow. "We have to protect the civilians heading this way." Chris wanted to hug his ex-girlfriend to protect her, to reassure her, that everything would be okay despite from the primal cries of the T-Virus infected echoing on the streets like a dark symphony. But, they had to hurry and get the hell out of the place.

Raymond looked like he wanted to protest but looked away for a second in silence and sighed. "Then let's go. Once all possible civilians are here, we're outta here.

Chris didn't wait for the invitation and automatically drew his customized STARS handgun and quickly shot down a zombie on the entrance of the bar. "Mark, Kevin, push the other car while I do the other one. Be careful not be dragged under." He could hear it, as many as the ones the RPD had shot down, there were still a lot following. They could hear it all. "Hurry," he said beckoning those running while they push the car. People jumped over the car stampeding each other while assisted by the few officers the section had.

The ex-RPD easily pushed the car and his companions did the same together.

"Come on, come on! Move it!" Raymond shouted his order, shooting the incoming zombies as they neared. Once there were no people left to protect, Raymond signaled them to follow him. Kevin, Raymond took the lead while Chris guarded the rear eyeing the undead horde blocked by the Police cars. Numerous hands shot out underneath the vehicles, another climbed the car but continuously slipped.

 _Jill, you better be alright._ As much as he hoped that it was an isolated case, Chris knew it wasn't. A group big as what they were seeing likely killed and infected a lot already.

Raymond led them on the large wooden double gate beside the apartment building they'd been through. The door led led to an area littered with construction materials and another door on the other end. Many screamed when hands, heads, came out of the duct on the floor beside the door a few feet away. Even their exit was block as incoming zombies came out the same way. More fell out of the window from and crashing like a sack of bricks.

Raymond pointed his shotgun threateningly to every zombie. "Stay away."

Kevin beside him silently appraised their enemies.

"Stay close," Mark ordered, and they followed his command and huddled together.

"Grab what you can use as weapon!" Chris said loud enough for everyone to hear as he stabbed a head of an undead blond man coming out of the duct on the left. "Don't let them touch you in any way! Push them away far as you can! Raymond," he snapped at the quivering man with the shotgun which put him out of his panic attack, "on the front with Mark, support him."

With their tight circular formation they walked forwards the door. Every zombie that dared hobbled towards them, they kicked it, hit it with makeshift weapons. A bleeding old woman reached out for the girl woman next to him, but he kicked her preemptively sending her and most of everyone behind her sprawling on the concrete.

He could see it, the undead hordes number kept rising and rising. They were trapped on the center but they still walked towards the door. A woman screamed in their group. "Pedro!" the woman shouted back in anguish.

Many of their group shouted in pain, horror whilst they fought back.

"Raymond, keep them back!" Chris barked.

The door was tightly locked but it would't be a problem for him. The former STARS kicked the door down and everyone then ushered in towards safety. Chris' swiftly reloaded his handgun and fired when a moaning infected was about to grab him. Three blasts from Raymond sent them wobbling back, pulled back and close the door.

"Barricade it," Kevin ordered.

Everyone ran everywhere, while he with his back against the door held it closed. He gritted his teeth as the zombie's combined strength beating on the door.

Tightening his fist, he pushed back against the onslaught of the undead on the door.

"We found something in the truck," Cindy shouted. "Hold on, Chris!"

"The truck!" he looked up when Jim said this. "It's gasoline."

The RPD officer ran to him chain's in hand. Chris didn't care that it was rusty nor where the man got it from. David, Yoko , and Mark him with thick slabs of wood and metal pipe. Quickly, Chris turned and switched position where he now he the two doors with his hands. Raymond, with shaking hands, looped and tied the chain on the know. He secured the knot by inserting the pipe and slab of wood in between the metallic object.

Many released a breath of relief when they barricaded the door best as they can. Still, the pounding threatened to tear it apart. Now they were trapped. From the other side, the only other door near a gas truck with the another door. Based on what buildings he could see on the horizon, he knew that where it led towards was the main road, which was bad. The angry guttural cries of the revived dead people came from louder there. They were pinned down on both sides.

"Are we really going to survive this?" a shaky voice said loudly.

"They got my brother, sister and husband!"

"Everyone calm down, RPD are holding back the riot as we speak," Raymond stuttered out a bit. Looking at the gathered survivors of twenty along with those from J's bar, not many of them believed his words. A little girl holding tightly to a woman's legs tightly made him think about Claire. He had to survive for her, Jill, Barry and for the truth.

They searched for another exit with haste because he like everyone else knew their barricade wouldn't hold back the dead for long. On the side was a canal, where there was an outlet to the sewers, and also their only way out of danger. .

"Chris," the blonde journalist muttered. It wasn't a surprise he detected the quivering in her voice. What they thought as only fiction became real, all thanks to Raccoon city's sponsor; Umbrella.

Whatever Alyssa was saying were cut off when their group screamed. Chris, whipped around on the source noticed a zombie fell from the windows. More fell and the ducts beside the other door? More came from it crawling uttering nonsensical sounds. At the same time, their block fell and the large numbers of the T-Virus infected came rushing inwards like a pack of hungry piranhas.

"Into the sewers!" his ex-girlfriend called. Everyone ran to the exit they had. Running for the gas truck, he opened the valve slowly wetting the downwards sloping pavement with Kevin, Raymond and Mark covered him and keeping them at bay.

Grabbing his lighter, he motioned for them to run ahead. At first, they didn't follow him, but they then followed his orders and ran to safety when he opened his lighter. With a single flick, he lit a fire and dropped the lighter. Everything was a blur as he dashed for the sewer entrance. Chris' only sign of how much time head was the crackling fire overwhelming the voices of the dead. He screamed when everything behind him ended in a deafening explosion. Shrapnel flew and hit everything.

Chris' grunted when his chest met the wall. His chest lit up as if one fire. The man could feel the wall caved in. Moving his arms, he pushed himself from the away, and felt water surround him this time. He grit his teeth, and bore his stinging chest.

The others were waiting for him when he landed on the sewers roughly. _Damn it,_ he spewed curses when the injury, though healed, burned once again as he landed face first on the floor.

"Chris," Cindy greeted and approached him helping him get back up. "Are you okay?"

"Never better."

It surprised him that they would wait for him. He'd expected the others to go on without him, but it seems not a single one went ahead. Still, it was a good thing they did, they had strength in numbers. Those armed stood guard guarding the weaponless people. Now that they weren't in any danger he noticed five kids amongst their group who were obviously shaken, no, shaken was an understatement. These kids were traumatized as they cry as they while holding on to Cindy, Alyssa and a teen.

Chris' fist tightened and his chest swelled in anger from the fact they couldn't stop this from happening. They were supposed to protect people, dammit! Children should smile and have fun just as they had when they were young. Not run away from infected trying to eat you and everyone else still alive.

Raymond lighten and smile upon seeing him when he turned to said officer, "Another minute and we would've left without you."

"Sorry for the wait," Chris replied putting a hand on his chest. It still hurt but its now bearable somehow. "Where is the evacuation area?" he immediately asked, it was required to have an evacuation area in times of crisis.

The RPD officer stuttered a response, "We never expected the situation to become this bad." Chris' mind went through the news he heard all day. There was a riot earlier the day, midday to be exact, near New Prague. It was obvious now that the was a cover up and not an isolated case. Police were sent to quell it but no further news about it came, only that people were evacuated from the whole area affected by the riot. If the riot coverage was a cover up then it must've been a massive T-Virus infected horde. That bastard Irons knew what it was but didn't do anything? He had a lot of words to say to him once he get to RPD but thinking of ways to make the man cry now was not the proper time.

Breathing in and out deeply for a minute before turning to the situation at hand. There was no way the whole RPD could stop if Raymond's words were true. With his thought, Chris came up with the conclusion that there was never any evacuation area because of they didn't know the truth. "There is no evac site," said Chris before Raymond could utter his words.

The only response given was a reluctant nod. Some of the civilians rose in anger at this confirmation. One chubby man dashed to Raymond lifting ghim up by the collar. "What do you mean there is no evacuation site! You're the police! You protect people and RPD wasn't prepared for this!?" His shout thundered on the silent sewer.

"We…" Raymond choked and struggled to say. "Like.. I said… never expected things was worse. But in holding out the riots we set up the evac zone near it, on the main road."

Their indignant shouts were the reply he got.

"Enough!" Alyssa pushed the man away before the former STARS member could making said chubby man drop the RPD officer on the floor spluttering and grabbing his throat. "I worker on Raccoon Daily and he's right," she stated angrily crossing her arms in turn. "There were only reports of riots throughout the southern part of the city. What really happened was never known, probably a police cover up." The journalist glared at the police beside Kevin.

"Give us a break," Kevin retorted. "There was no cover up. Whatever happened there was a mystery, no one reported back from the riot. To prevent mass panic, the chief sent more to investigate the place. We were also unprepared for the situation as we are! You saw how those freaks break in the bar and the street like they own it."

"All this yammering will get us nowher'!" Mark went between the two groups of the angry citizens and the Police officers. "What's important is we'll get out of this mess."

Raymond cleared his throat, "Every law enforcement agency are on high alert are deployed and trying to contain the situation as we speak. There's still hope whatever this is will end."

He highly doubt that. The more people fall from the T-Virus, the more their numbers decreased and the undead's swelled, but he spoke none of his thought in front of the civilians and instead asked unflinchingly staring down the two RPD Officers, "What's the next step."

The SPF member then turned to his friend or maybe just acquaintance.

"The RPD have a truck waiting on the main road in front of the apple inn," his eyes moved to the civilians then continued, "the chaos hadn't reach their yet so it's safe. Dorian will be there." He remembered Dorian Brown, a man that hailed from the south. The best drive in RPD in his opinion. "From there, he will take you to the safest zone on the city near the evac zone

"What if it's overrun by those monsters now?" a redhead male teen asked. Even in the dark he could see the sheen of sweat on him and teary eyes of the young man. "Look at what happened of the 35th. There were some police stationed their earlier but they were killed easily! Those things killed Fred, Joseph… everyone," cried the teen held by Cindy.

"I know," cooed the blonde woman. She was holding on but he could see how shaken they were. Yoko always stuck with David, Jim stayed close with Mark and George. Alyssa, headstrong as she was, stayed close either him or Kevin. "They ate my friend Will too. But we'll make it. We have to." Cindy's smiled and in her eyes, Chris saw her resolution. Her will to live, the will to go on. The same fire Alyssa had in her yet gentler in nature. The same thing burned in the survivors' eyes scared and scarred as they were as he stared at them all.

"You think so?" the woman nodded letting the teen cry burying his face on clothes.

Alyssa looked at Chris and saw only firm taut expression. She was itching for the truth be revealed. The truth that was buried under Arklay mansion. The truth on the Eclipse express train. A silent promise to reveal what was under the umbrella.

"C'mon, let's just get out of here then we'll know if it's okay or not."

"Why can't we stay here?" A woman on her thirties stated not moving on her spot. "There's no one here and we haven't heard their cries here."

Alyssa grunted, "Not yet it isn't. How sure are we that we're safer here than above? For that how long will this place be safe?" No one answered. The woman only incoherently stuttered as reply.

Kevin pointed to himself, Chris, and Raymond lead the group, then to Mark, David, and Alyssa on the rear. The rest filed them in the middle not one word out of them.

Only their footsteps emanated breaking the silence of the sewers. With each step, water echoed with the drips of the pipe as it fell. The former police along with Kevin, Raymond and Mark walked with vigilant eyes for anything. The civilian's startled cry, heavy breathing paired with the clanging on their shoes. It didn't help their group with the fact that it was too damn dark but for Chris his vision can see in the dark. No movements beyond the scuttling mouse.

"Chris," his ex whispered. "Your eyes are glowing," Shit, he forgot about that little fact. His eyes glows in the dark, eerily so, said by Jill upon seeing it for the first time. _A cat-like piercing slitted red eye,_ as she describe it. It was a good thing the others didn't notice yet, no need to scare the people more.

"Thanks," was his muttered reply. And he meant it. Alyssa was one of his most trusted people. Their romance may have a bad ending but their friendship did not. It was a mutual break up that hurt him and Alyssa. They both knew it wouldn't last long and so, they both agreed they had to let go before things go sour. He knew Lys wouldn't looked at him differently even with his new burden but he couldn't help but feel as if there was a distance between him and Alyssa. Not only her, but also to the others.

The man also hoped that just as their friendship survived, all of them with the survivors they had with them would live throughout this apocalypse too.

The silence was making him paranoid. _Why are there no infected on the sewers?_

When they turned left, they found a ladder going up. Some were relieved, some were not.

"I'll check if it's safe above," Raymond lead followed by his fellow police officer. Once his clear was given a minute later. Yoko went first followed by Jim. David climbed after them followed by the others. Alyssa followed who he tailed by. Just as Alyssa had gotten out, Chris was about to exit when he lost his hold as the ground above them shook strongly. He recovered fast enough to hold on again before he could fall and felt the metal beneath his grip crumpled a little. His companions screaming and the blast left him resisting to covering his ears.

"What in the hell?" Mark exclaimed.

Whatever happened above happened in an instant. "Everyone okay?" he called to the others beneath him just as he was trying to get his bearings straight. The shaking left him quite dizzy.

"No one's injured."

"Redfield, what was that!?" Mark replied from below.

Chris pushed the lid only to meet great resistance. Putting more strength into his arm, but the result was the same. One last time, and this time putting all the effort he could muster he palmed the the lid. To his dismay, it only marked with an upward dent but it didn't moved. From below him, he could hear the others looking at him curiously and their muttering reaching his ears. "Stuck," he climbed down. "Must've been an explosion," the others are one their own for now. He hoped that no one was injured from an explosion of that caliber. A blast of that powerful would send a lot of debris flying. The raven haired former STARS member was all the more worried Alyssa's sake because she was the last one out before something exploded above.

"Forwards it is then."

* * *

Edit: 10/19/18: Corrected grammar issues. It will not affect the story.

Edit: 10/21/18: Edited the flow of conversation, added some details, and changed some things. All changes were minor, not enough to affect the story.

Reviews are appreciated. What you like, what you didn't, & what you think I could do to improve.


	2. Outbreak II

Okay, once again not sure anyone's going to read this but to hell with it.

if anyone read this then apologies for OOC characters or something suckish despite my best efforts. :)

This idea came from thinking what would happen the Outbreak characters encounter those from the man story and here it is. Haha

If you(potential readers) want , R&R. I appreciate criticisms. If i made mistakes feel free to point it out.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Resident Evil/ Biohazard franchise nor do I profit from this. I am merely doing this of entertainment.

* * *

Chris took a long deep breath when they got out of the sewer safe. All was silent, and only the beeping of the car alarms and the flickering of the fire made a tune in the apocalyptic night of the city. Not one infected was seen nor encountered on the empty street. Scanning all around him they were back on the road. Far ahead, he could see a police van and firetruck up ahead on the barricade.

It was safe for now.

He led the survivors with Mark guarding their rear flank. Once they all got out and their companions cheered when they saw the vehicles. He was correct in his assumption that it really was the assigned police van to drive them to the evac site because, Dorian Brown, along with some firemen was there. They were obviously discussing what seemed to be a plan probably, most likely on how to enter the blazing building. His breathe in relief at seeing some survivor was obvious.

"Dorian," Chris greeted quickly without any pleasantries. It was the last the last thing anyone would do now in his place. "What's the situation?" the building was burning intensely that the window spew fire that extended into the sky. He doubted anyone would survive the place seeing as the blazing building roared freely with the firefighters unable to do anything despite their efforts to do so. Anyone brave enough to enter it would be burned quickly.

"Apple inn's burning an' we got some people still in there looking for survivors," he said in front the roaring inferno as the firemen kept dousing it.

 _Damn it,_ the ex- RPD cursed. Judging by the fire, he was sure the explosion came from there. Part of him hoped that Alyssa and the others are were not in the hotel, but he knew that a fire that swallowed a building that big quickly must've been cause by a large explosion. If that was the case, then they're in trouble. The people in there wouldn't survive for long if they weren't rescued soon. How would they get inside there? The man thought of any entrance as he walked towards the alley next to it.

"What was the cause Dorian."

"We don't know. We sent two people in but they never reported back. We can only assume the worst."

"This is bad," he muttered. He walked to the side, in the alley for any entrance. Anything he could use to get into the place.

"Redfield!" Dorian jogged over to him and pulled him to the side. Chris could see creases on his face, but the man professional to keep him calm. "I… I'm sorry for not believing you guys. We've all read the reports from Arklay mansion an'…" the man paused and sighed weaving through his hair. "I'm sorry for not believin' you guys. You, Jill, Barry, Brad, and Rebecca were right. Wished I could have supported you guys and now it's too late. The undead is now roaming Raccoon's streets. Who know what Umbrella still is doing now."

Chris held his fellow police officer's shoulder. His expression may be firm and grim, but he didn't have any ill will towards the RPD. Well, except some few others he hated with a passion, most noteworthy was his former bastard RPD Chief Brian Irons. It was a very outlandish claim after all, but nevertheless a claim that was backed by data that they refused to acknowledged. A part of him was tempted to just deck the guy and say; 'I told you so' but the man couldn't because he was not as petty to hold a grudge for people believing what they thought was real or not. It was in the past, what matters is what they're going to do with the knowledge. "It's water under the bridge. What we need to do now is to evacuate the civilians and send some team to Apple inn hotel. Kevin and some survivors are there."

"Wha...at? Kevin's in there?" Dorian's said shocked and then cleared his throat as they walked back towards the gathered people and his demeanor changed. "It's too hot to enter. Like I said, there were firemen that entered the place when it caught fire, but they hadn't been in contact since. More are attempting to enter but the fire's proving too strong and there is not enough water. The water stopped for some reason."

The former RPD thought of other entrances, "Emergency exit?"

"Can't," his companion replied. "In an alley, over there," pointing towards the buildings' right now blocked with various objects that served as a barricade. "Ladders on the second floor, but the fire is as intense as the entrance." That got Chris. Too high for others and even if it was burning that it will kill others, but for him? It was simple even if very risky. Possibly one of the very rare instances he thanked whatever happened to him.

Grabbing the handkerchief on his pocket, Chris covered his lower face with it and jumped. He simply jumped and landed on the platform with ease. The man would do this alone, more firefighters meant more casualties inside and that didn't count the T-Virus victims. The smell of Ozone hit him stronger this time when he entered but he pushed on through the window with knife on his hands. A dead body laid on the bed of the room he entered. Chris gave it a quick nudge and seeing it didn't make any sudden movements the ex- RPD went to the hall. The fire was strong, and it blinded him making the trekking through it a struggle as he huffed and coughed.

"Alyssa! Kevin!" Chris called but no one answered. "Anyone."

He rounded the corner and looked at the window, the ground floor was where the fire was the worse and it was spreading to the second one quickly the third was burning but only slightly. The fourth floor, on the other hand was still unaffected, so he surmised that others went there.

"What the," Chris grunted when a slimy rope from behind the smoke snagged his left foot. The force pulled him down, but he balanced himself with his arms when he fell. Grabbing his knife, he turned and swiftly cut the thing as the strange creature screeched then rounded back the corner. _New B.O.W.?_ he thought surely.

A faint but ticking watery footsteps could be heard on the other side. Chris ran not taking the fire any longer and saw the attacker when he ran passed it. A pink creature walking on all four with its brain exposed that immediately turned on him tongue flicking. On the next corner, the stairs were a welcome sight and did a one eighty-degree turn brought out his gun.

The ex-RPD expected the thing to come out and chase him. Slowly, the faint slimy steps of it became louder, with a screech, out of the corner it came. The thing jumped from the ceiling, to the floor, the the side, it bounced and lept everywhere. _Fast!_ Whatever the creature that chased him was, it was not like the Hunters and can stick to walls much like a spider. It bounded on the walls as it climbed towards him but the tight hall limited its movement. Before it could jump again, he pulled the trigger splattering blood over the wall and the floor as the screeching creature fell to the floor thrashing wildly. The tongue whipped backed and forth fast that would certainly cause injuries if he didn't cut it short earlier.

Chris didn't give it a chance and shot it some more that after five shots to its head, it stopped. It was a fortunate that they had they had same weakness most B.O.W.'s, a shot to the head, unlike the Hunters. That thing can stand up to 9mm like it was nothing. Hell, single shotgun slug barely does anything to it and only staggers the creature. Only after six or seven shots of slugs would it die.

A moan came from the stairs and when he turned upwards a zombie walked straight for him. Chris, seeing it as it was alone punched its head sending it flying and stabbed its head. The highest floor of the hotel was still intact but was slowly spreading from what he could see, and he needed to hurry getting them and that's not counting the danger the new B.O.W.'s he'd encountered right now.

Chris didn't waste time and barging at every door he saw, and it was either; zombies laying dead on the floor or an empty bloody room. It was a good thing to that the survivors can defend themselves, more so with Kevin, David and Alyssa with them. Those three can handle themselves from what he'd seen. When Chris kicked down the double door he was quickly met with an assortment of weapons ranging from handgun, shotgun, and potential household melee items.

"Goddamnit Redfield," was the first thing the RPD officer said to him. "You scared the shit out of us. I thought you were another one of those licker things." David sat on a monitor chair facing the monitor, Jim looked ready to pummel anything that come through the door despite his shaking.

"Licker," he repeated before the ex-Cop noticed Alyssa wasn't with them, "Where's Alysssa, Raymond, and the others?" Chris observed around the room that he was sure of was a security room.

Kevin flicked his head towards the wall where an unconscious Alyssa laid down and her stomach bandaged by shirt, and her clothes? Burned all around with scratches all over. Chris didn't waste time and felt her vitals, her pulse was normal he sighed in relief, but the horror washed upon him. "As for the others" the man's hand clenched, "the explosion got them. We were lucky that we were far away from it."

"Damn it."

There was nothing he could do about it now. Best to move forwards. "Was she bitten or scratched by a zombie?" his heart raced in panic upon seeing Alyssa's wounded left abdomen.

Kevin was quick to answer which relieved his worries. "Glass debris from the explosion injured her left side. We were lucky we were away when it happened or else she would've been seriously injured. I did the best I could applying emergency first aid." The cop combed his hair with obvious frustration. "Tried to look for a way out but the fire's strong and those damn lickers are fucking crazy. We tried but...," Kevin left his words unfinished looking at Alyssa.

"You're right. We can't move her. If we do, it'll have to be quick," Chris bit his lip. "We could go through the fire exit but it's already dangerous there."

"Tho… se pink things with long tongue!" Jim nearly screamed and shuddered. "It nearly got me when we entered the hotel and you're saying we need to go out?"

"Quiet down or those things will find us," David said lowly giving the black man a sharp look. "Redfield's right. What are you suggesting, that we stay here even when we don't have enough bullets to kill all those things? We can't stay here with the building on fire. We must find a way to escape."

That was what Chris was thinking, the hotel was burning badly and there were zombies and new type of B.O.W.'s. The emergency exit was out of question because the way there was burning too. Maybe if they could activate the sprinkler then they could get out of the fiery pits. "The power's still on, so why didn't the sprinkler activate?'

"Who cares about the sprinkler!"

Kevin glared at Jim who then shrunk from his gaze, "We do, you dumbass. We can't get out unless you want to try burning yourself to death? It doesn't help that Alyssa is down."

Jim was scared, he knew that. It was hard to keep up with B.O.W.'s all over. It was the first time that he ever saw a licker before and it disturbed him. What were those things? Did it come from an Umbrella facility by letting it loose or simply an escapee from said hypothetical place? Either way, it's all moot point for now. What matters is that they escaped the burning place.

"You said you came in from emergency exit," Kevin suggested. "How. It's one of the sections burning badly.

"It wasn't easy, that's all I can say Ryman," Chris grunted. "But still, one of our best bet.

The other survivor shook their head in dismay.

"Hello, what're we gonna do now!" Jim snapped. If it weren't for their dire situation he would have said something, but he deigned himself not to. "Check the cabinets for bedsheets, anything that could be used. We go by pair, David and Kevin, Yoko, you're with me. Jim, stay here and guard Alyssa." The train conductor let out a breath of relief when he said so, not that he could fault the man for his reaction. "Let's search each room and grab the bedsheet. If you think there's anything we can use, take it."

Him and Kevin shared a look that said his fellow cop understood what he was planning. They went back to back when they exited their sanctuary, wary of their new foe; the lickers. "Clear," they both said at the same time.

"Go, go, go!" Kevin ordered ushering the other two out as they went in opposite direction.

From the other side the duo had already entered their first room. "Yoko, do you know how to use a gun?" he whispered opening the door quietly as he could. The woman nodded. He noticed it earlier that she carried a gun but didn't use it when he entered. Upon entering Chris burst in the room expecting an undead, but didn't. A bloodied and mangled body of a blonde woman wearing nightgown laid face down on the bed with her throat brutally torn open. Not taking chances, he stabbed its head.

When he looked back, the Asian was already looking for things at the cabinet and drawers, even the bag of the dead woman and promptly put thing she deemed useful in her backpack. It took only few minutes, five at best for his partner to finish and together they went to the next one.

They were really lucky when no threat was found and the two of them were now returning to the security room and met with the other two just as they were about to enter.

"What did you guys find?" Jim asked anxiously when they entered. Nothing else was found but what they wanted, which was only bedsheets.

"What now, Redfield?" David prompted, looking at their gathered things.

The plan was risky, but he had no choice. "We take a bath," he smirked trying to lighten the situation and explained his plan.

"Are you crazy!" Jim was the first one to react. The former police expected Jim, with Kevin was a close second, so he was not surprise. "That's a crazy plan!"

"I don't see you giving a better plan!" Kevin snapped.

* * *

By the time they were finished they looked like a bunch of cultists in white clothing from head to toe with only the eyes being seen and some parts like the gun holster or fingers. Not to mention dripping wet. At first it was received with backlash from others, but since they're running out of time and couldn't just wait, it was the only plan they had. Not his brightest idea but an idea is still an idea.

They walked in silence going downwards. Flames flickered all around, slowly consuming the structure and making it hard to breath that's why they crouched. Chris lead them and Kevin got their rear flank with David protecting the others with his shotgun while Jim carried the unconscious Alyssa. They were now on the third floor and Chris signaling them to stop, he rounded the corner first and gave a sign it was clear.

It was becoming a literal hell fire on the second floor and remembering which direction he came from the went left when it was clear. He could already feel the flames licking the cloth and he hoped it would last long enough for them to cross through the fiery pits as he could feel himself sweating now. It was harder to see with the smoke, but he knew it was the correct direction. He had memorized his actions earlier and which way he went.

A little closer now but Chris grunted in pain when he slipped and was being pulled forward as a rope like object wrapped around his body. Someone screamed and joining with hissing and growling.

"Run! The first room on the left!" With his knife on the other hand, the STARS member quickly cut the tongue. The heat seared his back as he silently cursed, getting up and running towards their destination. He could hear the slimy _thump, thump thump,_ of the whatever that thing was with like a wet fish as it walked. When he saw the window, he jumped out of it landed from the second floor to the pavement with a painful grunt.

The former STAR's knee joints clicked in pain, but he ignored that throb and managing to stand and looked up. Ignoring the looks the others gave him who just climbed down the same time as he landed. He briefly glanced to his friend that was carried gently by David.

The window broke making it rain glass as a zombie woman, burst out of the flaming building. The woman was burning pink, the same skin as the licker and had long tongue.

"A hybrid," he muttered. The hybrid's tongue reached towards to a sign and stuck to the wall with its tongue slithering like a snake. A gun fired off hitting nothing and causing a spark on the metal it hit. The strange creature screeched, but it jumped down and its tongue reached the shooter, which was Kevin, and pulled. Chris quick on his feet, moved and slash off the tongue. The tongue pulled back and the creature screeched upside down on it's perch now.

"What the hell is that!" Dorian shouted.

"Just shoot it!" Mark said and opened fire without question. The creature, swifter on its feet than the ones before, was hard to hit with its constant moving in the alley. The thing landed on the pavement, jumped upwards again with its tongue lashing out towards them. Chris moved sideways but it traveled past him and to others behind him.

"Help!" screamed Yoko, who was dragged upwards by the creature.

"No," Dorian warned. "Don't shoot, we might hit her."

Timing his shot, he waited for the licker to land. When it did, he fired five consecutive shots. The creature thrashed and moved again.

Shots behind him fired next and the B.O.W. screamed. it's shrill voice deafened them, but the sooter did not stop. Its tongue released the young woman and whipped on the emergency exit pulling itself. More rounds from them came to meet it, but Chris dashed straight towards the falling Yoko and caught her midair. He spun and grit his teeth from the rough dirt scrapping against him.

The hybrid licker was quick as it was agile and kept moving that he and the others can't keep up with it but with everyone shooting at it, "Scraaaa!" the licker B.O.W. screamed when some of the shots hit it. It thrashed when it moved again to the emergency exit platform.

"Aah!" A fireman screamed when it was pulled up. Chris released Yoko and jumped on the platform bearing the heat. Squinting his eyes, the creature was on the wall just across him. "Help! Help me!"

"Zombies!" someone screamed. And he heard there it, the loud cries of the undead getting closer.

Wasting no time, when it jumped sideways to the other side, so did Chris. And when he was near, the man punched the damn thing and grabbed tightly to the creature as now danced wildly. Chris stabbed it making the licker drop the man. The man shouted as he fell. Chris let go, caught him and covering him in a hug. Chris let himself cover the man's fall.

"Ah!" he let out a scream as thundering pain on his back flared all over his body. In his pain filled vision he saw someone shooting made it fall near David. Someone fired shotgun rounds at but his vision blurred. It kept crying but it was slowly dwindling.

Multitudes of voices surround him, but he can hear none of them clearly. Hands circled his shoulder felt himself dragged. "C'mon. Let's pull Chris out before the zombies come."

"What the hell was that?" questioned someone. "It was like a monster from hell!"

"Now's not the time for questions. We need to get out of here."

Chris moaned and opened his eyes. Blurry silhouette of pink skin, was the first thing he saw. His vision slowly cleared, the thing was really a licker-zombie hybrid indicated by its covered brain, long tongue, and having next to none skin.

Looking up, the man recognized Kevin. "You okay Redfield." Grunts was his response, as slowly, his body healed itself. His back itched and throbbed at the same time.

Eventually, Chris felt that his condition was mended enough, "I'm fine, guys," he stated forcefully separating himself from whoever was carrying him. He stretched his back and winced. The damn thing dragged him along a burning floor, made him fall and it all hurt like a bitch. "Fine," he replied, albeit forcefully.

"Those abilities, how can you do that."

"We don't know and let's leave it at that," turning to the RPD officer, "How's Alyssa?"

"Your friend's fine," nodding at the clarification. "Fine, the firefighters applied first aid to her best as they could but eventually she'll need to go to the hospital." Which was near the evac site, on the other side. "Come on. We got to go. I could hear the cries of my fans."

"Copy that."

* * *

In a hurry to leave, they left the burning building and all of them was not enough to fit in the van, but they had to make do because there was no other vehicle that was secure enough to withstand attacks from a horde. Even with all this, it was a welcome relief to rest for how long it'll last.

They had to do a lot of backtracking because most way they got was blocked, meaning it was compromised. What was supposed to be a quick twenty minute affair became double of it and was set nearest as Dorian could. "It's as far as I can take you. The blockade is up ahead and take as many weapons as you can," their driver stated seeing the umpteenth roadblock.

"You okay now, Lys?" Chris supported his ex to stand. "Just a little more and you'll be fine." She was a little pale, but he could see the fierce spirit that lingered within that lithe body.

Pale as she was, she didn't lose that fire she had. "I've…" she coughed clutching her abdomen, "taken worse Redfield. Remember 1993?" He did. When she talked about it the first time, she barely held herself together. It was a nightmare she faced alone, but thanks to their efforts in Arklay, it shed light on her past. That fueled her anger, her drive, and motivation to reveal the secrets Umbrella.

"Who wouldn't," he whispered and taking note to observe the interactions of the civilians too. Kevin and Dorian were distributing weapons equally.

He passed the job of supporting the blonde journalist to Jim since he was the most reluctant to fight and they walked in tight formation. Yoko armed with one of RPD's standard firearm, the Browning Hi-Power. It was decided in their group that she carry some of their ammo in her backpack.

All in all, their group was well equipped now with David continued to use the Remington shotgun he found in the hotel. George and Jim opted for a handgun too, an Glock 17. Cindy, Kevin, and Mark also continued to use their found weapons. In case of Cindy, her friend's Beretta 92FS, Kevin's own Colt, and Mark's own Glock 17. Even with that, they all had extra weapons on them consisting of knives, bat, and makeshift weapons like spears thanks to David.

As for Chris, he picked up another Beretta and few five clips.

They walked slowly because they could hear the sounds of undead echoing into the night followed by gunshots and scream of dying people the more they neared the flyover.

He could feel the tension in everyone. All twitchy by the slightest movements.

Upon peering, the sight was one straight of the horror movies. Hundreds of T-Virus victims wailed into the night in an unnatural chorus. The only thing separating the RPD and the undead was the barricade, but even that was slowly falling apart.

"Make it quick!"

"We're not gonna hold them off now! The barricade's gonna fall."

The tension was too high for them that others suggested they turn back.

"That's a lot!" a redhead woman hissed. "The police aren't gonna hold it!"

Another one reacted badly, "We leave! Let them handle that while we find a safe place."

"What safe place!" Jim whispered loudly. "Those things are everywhere! We should stick together!"

"Enough! Those who wants to go, go," Mark interrupted a little bit too sharp. As far as he knew the personality of the man it wasn't anger at least, maybe stress. It was quick how the others quickly turned back and in the end, what was left of them was the original group, the one from J's bar.

They peered again what was happening below. SWAT teams, RPD was barely holding the defense line against the massive horde of T-Virus undead victims. Their cries gave him shivers and it was a miracle that they even held the line at all with only those numbers. Smoke billowed out of the structures around giving him an image of hell and the undead as its citizens. The living pushed the now undead people, but it was futile because he could see it falling to the endless onslaught of their enemies' greater number. If hell was on Earth, it would be this site.

"Is it ready yet!" one shout was heard throughout the chaos.

The question was pointed at the man behind the line, that was obvious. The officer was assembling the trigger and connecting the wire from what he could see from their limited elevated view since they were still crouching to prevent being seen.

They crouched back when the blockade fell, and the retreat of the government forces was imminent. His heart beat wildly afraid that they were going to go up. Submachine gun and rifle fire fought against the the harmony of the zombies.

"Reload."

"Covering fire!"

Jim, next to Yoko was shaken. Shaken was an understatement and it was not only him who was scared shit with what was happening. They all were. "What are we gonna do?" Jim asked.

"Pull the trigger!" one said. "Pull i-ahh!" crunching flesh buried the poor man's cry. Many screamed for their lives as it was being taken from them one bite at a time. They had to stop this horde here. Give the people a fighting chance, if not escape this hellzone caused by Umbrella. Save as many as they can, if possible.

Many others kept on fighting and the undead kept on moving forward, he could imagine that from what they heard.

It was a risky, hell risky was not starting it. It was suicide, but Chris had to. "You all go and escape. You're all not prepared for this," he found himself saying without thinking. "Alyssa is injured too. Head to Raccoon Hospital by going through the sewers."

"And you are? No offense Chris but your team barely made it in the Arklay," Kevin said cutting him off. "Superpowers or not, you can't do this alone. We support them from here. If they fall, all of Raccoon defenses fall. It's all or nothing Redfield." Chris couldn't exactly find fault in that statement. If the law enforcers fall here it would only make traversing Raccoon city much harder and leaving the others to fall under Umbrella's loose experiment's claws.

Looking at others, he didn't care if they saw his eyes, they were scared as he was. Experience could only help a lot before it all fell apart and he was thankful he had these people to weather it through with him. Determination of great variety burned in their eyes, even in Jim. "Fine. Alyssa, don't move."

The blonde journalist wanted to protest but she must've realized its futility as she nodded. Her reply brought some small comfort to him.

"I just hope we can help them enough," the raven haired cop grumbled.

"We fire at the same time," David declared.

"Someone has to cover the stairs. David, Jim, George, cover us." They cocked their guns at the same time, "On my mark," Mark ordered. "Now!"

Simultaneously, they went of their cover guns blazing as Chris shouted, "Don't shoot! Friendly support! Fire." Chris didn't have to aim hard with all of the zombies flocking forward towards the vulnerable SWAT and RPD's. "Come on, get the trigger!"

The retreating officers stop their retreated and exclaimed the reorganization of their defense. It didn't take long for some of the zombies to diverge and head towards them.

"David, Jim, they're coming," barked Mark. The zombies wobbled upwards but the two fell some of them helping block the stairs up to them.

Reloading another clip into his Samurai edge then whipping out his knife. "I'll cover the stairs. They're being overwhelmed."

Kicking a zombie beside the plumber and the train conductor, he watched the horde pushed back against the falling zombies. Unleashing his power in a single punch, he sent the group toppling down the stairs. The two didn't need to be told to end the now downed zombies. All three of them smashed, stabbed, pierced, every zombie before they could get up.

"Hunters!" Chris's head shot up as Alyssa shouted this. Yoko pointed at a group of Hunters running swiftly towards the law enforcers. The beasts mowed down zombies as they got closer and closer. Motioning for the two to stand guard, he left to intercept the B.O.W.'s head on.

He didn't wait for the response as he beat his way towards the center of the road where a circle of men was trapped in the sea of the undead. Chris ignored the pain best as he can, as along the way T-Virus Zombies scratched him, bit him when they could but his faster healing factor covered it up quickly. His adrenaline fueled body gave him the energy to press onward in combination of his discipline and control. He needed to do it no matter the dangers.

He just didn't know for how long he was there so, grabbing a combat knife, Chris pierced the throat of a teen, and ignoring the prospect of killing an already dead youngster, then spun as the squelching flesh of other under victims was torn by his blade. Zombies that blocked his path was ended swiftly with the business end of his knife.

"Redfield!" Kevin called making him glanced at the man to see him toss a shotgun before going back to shooting the endless undead around him. The raven haired man caught the item and elbowed a zombie attacking him then bashing another one behind it. He gained a little space from the onslaught when the police gave him covering fire. Not one to waste chances, he beeline for the man shaking from fixing the trigger guarded by a four man team of both RPD and SWAT.

Chris joined the ganged up group of officers and briefly heard the thanks of the men. The raven haired ex-Cop thanked God that the detonator was still in one piece when he got there. "Get ready," he ordered the men. "Something's worst incoming."

Stabbing the head of one, he then spins kick another and sending it toppling against the others. Not stopping there, sensing another behind it, the raven haired man sidestepped and tripped it then proceeding to smash its head with his boot.

The roar of the hunter alerted him as he took his defensive stance. All around was chaos, but he had the cover of the RPD and SWAT making his only focus the powerful creatures that headed towards them. "I need two to focus fire on those Hunters on my command!" commanded Chris amidst the cacophony of the dead and thankful the group didn't question him now of all times.

Their numbers were endless and the longer he stood out there in the midst of the zombies the more he was in danger as he could feel himself reaching the limits of his body. Chris's 'gift' in the end couldn't amount to much in the face of greater numbers but he still persevered.

Those Hunter were fast and now getting closer, "Fire!" he roared and ran to meet the beasts with its claw ready to impale him but he shot first point bank on its chest sending it staggering backwards. His body complained, but he strength through it and immediately firing at the next Hunter. His shot sent it flying back too, before he rotated to chase the two still going towards the four guarding the bomb expert. On his sides, the two fired shotgun round after shotgun rounds keeping the masses at bay.

"Reload."

"Covering," Chris replied. A Hunter jumped to them, both he and the man on his left at the same time opened fire.

"Grenade," the one on the right called. In front of them bodies flew everywhere.

With three of them ending the three beasts, they ran to the three men they left. Before Chris could run, he fell on one knee when his back lit up in agony. He fired at the offending undead. The former RPD officer screamed when another T-Virus victim bit his shoulder, swallowing the urge to push it, he was about to shoot the bastard when it fell limped against him. A hand pulled him up and dragged him.

Ignoring his wounds, he pumped the gun quickly turned shooting a duo rushing to him.

"Get down!" shouted one of the men, and he did so. A bloody screaming Hunter, cut many zombies down and rushed towards them faster than he expected. Rolling to the right facing the sky, the former RPD man moved his head barely to for a claw to struck where it had been. A thundering shot to its guts had it flying back by a few feet only for him to reflexively cross his arms as a great heat seared his skin and nearly deafened him when everything exploded.

"Run! Run! Run! Run!"

"Take cover!" someone screamed, he had barely had the time to stand and run before an powerful force sent him careening forwards. He let out a guttural yell of pain as his burning back doubled in agony before he rolled for many times.

His vision blurry, many silhouettes ran about, and he then tried to stand before he gave a soft groan when his energy left him.

* * *

Chris Redfield woke up all bandaged up and feeling like hell. Glancing aside, Alyssa was in another stretcher resting beautifully. All around him was people helping the wounded, shouts of help, cries of pain, and songs of relief flooded his senses. The medic watching him didn't mind he was awake and only sipped his water carefully in the scenic chaos of camaraderie happening in front of him.

"What hit me," he said to no one as he got up. Everything was a blur and remembering made his head hurt.

"You're up early," his watcher, a lanky ginger head man commented. "I'm not surprised seeing as you heal quite fast. Unnaturally so. And your eyes, they glow."

Despite the darkness of the street and, he could see curiosity behind those tense eyes. "So I've been told," was his remark and wincing when he automatically shrugged.

The man took a bite off of a sandwhich before speaking, "Deep bite wounds on right shoulder, numerous lacerations all over the body, and second degree burns. You're lucky to be alive after receiving that kind of injuries.

Feeling the silence between them, he then asked, "How long was I out."

"Bout three to four hours. Your wife was stubborn on treating her injuries next to you."

He didn't decide to correct the man in his statement and only hummed in affirmation to his listening. "What happened when I was out?"

"Not much," was his medic's easy reply. Looking at the man, he could see he was tired as hell. Chris could see bags beginning to form under the medic's eye when the flashed of the ambulance's light went over him. "Pretty much just mop up operation and securing the perimeter. Those things are very dangerous, and we had to check everyone who had scratches or bite wounds if it was from those… things."

 _Understatement of the century_. The former RPD let himself relax his back on the stretcher and moaning on the relief given. "We're just about to clear out in an hour. All injured civilians would be taken to Raccoon General Hospital. The rest, to RPD."

"That's good to know."

"Don't worry, I heard them say two squads of police will secure the hospital," turning his head towards the gathered medics, the man stood up and stretched his back, "Looks like I gotta go. I wouldn't move yet if I were you bud."

Oh, trust him, he wouldn't. The last thing he wanted was to stop his recovery. Deciding to let people do their jobs, he closed his eyes and earn what little rest he could afford now that the whole Raccoon city has gone to hell.

 _Jill,_ he prayed, _be safe._

* * *

Edit 10/28/19: I edited some dialogues, action scenes, and added some details to make it somehow coherent. To my eyes at least. So to those reading this, comment on what lacks. Maybe I could do something to fix it.


	3. The Hive

I don't know if anyone is reading this but here goes. If someone is reading this, then I thank you for taking the time to open and possibly read this. If you see any mistake I did, feel free to inform me and I'll do my best to fix it. Though I did notice some mistakes so I'll do something about it later.

05/28/19: I edited it and added some new dialogue. Just little things.

* * *

Chris woke up finding his torso bandaged even when his body had healed. His tattered uniform laid neatly folded on a chair with a clean white shirt. The former RPD was sore in some areas which prompted him to stand and popped his aching bones with a groan.

The thundering cries from outside of the room immediately made him vigilant. He thanked those that brought him had let him keep his Samurai Edge beside the bed on the table along with some ammunition and his trusty knife.

Grabbing his custom handgun, he walked then peered discreetly on the windows only to see massive hordes of T-Virus Zombies. The undead gathered like protesters crying their guttural deathly wails and he could already see that every minute spent standing was time wasted as the zombies find a way in.

 _Where's Alyssa?_ Chris wondered as he put on his clothes.

A knock on the door and he already had the gun aimed towards the source. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Easy Chris! It's me, George Hamilton," the man urgently greeted his arms raised whilst holding a gun. The good doctor was accompanied by another doctor wearing a white coat. The doctor was of Indian descent, brown skin, having neatly combed hair and mustache. The doctor had a bandaged hand. "Good thing you're awake. You've been out for three hours and your injuries are already gone! Makes me want to ask your permission to study you."

"Maybe after we get out doc," Chris grunted tilting his head to the window. If they, no, when they get out of Raccoon alive, he'd certainly let George study him all he wants. Maybe he'll discover a cure for this. The doctor was a good person base on their first hours knowing each other. After all, hell brings the best and worst of everyone and the doctor was nothing but nice.

Besides, he always prided himself as a good judge of character.

"That's certainly a motivation to live," the tanned doctor said. "I'm Dr. Hersh. We must hurry. The Police are holding them back, I don't know for how long. Come on, hurry, hurry."

Chris took the lead and gesture for them to follow his lead. "Where are the others," he said. Alyssa was injured too, but unlike him, his ex-girlfriend didn't have the luxury of accelerated healing. This made him worry for her and her safety took precedence. He wasn't leaving without her.

"Alyssa's on recovering on another room," George said quickly as they got out of the room. "Cindy's with her. Mark went to patrol the floor. Those things are getting everywhere. The rest are en route to RPD with the large horde on the main road gone, police can now begin mopping operations around the station to begin as an evacuation site."

 _Makes sense for them to bring civilians near them for protection with the station crawling with those too. Most likely only a handful of officers were temporarily left to defend, and the rest sent to suppress the zombie hordes on the main roads then eliminate those around the RPD._

Chris was used to gore, not only on his time as an RPD officer but also on his stint as an Air Force, so he was not disturbed by the pile of dead bodies on the hall in front of the nurse's station. Some had torn throat, decapitated, and most a shot to the head. Still, even with him used to seeing death, it sank his heart seeing the scene.

The peace and quiet the hospital exuded, now became chaotic and dark. Objects and bodies strewn everywhere, the nurse station's window was plugged by hurriedly stacked objects for defense. What made that gaping hole, he hoped they wouldn't meet it.

"We must restore power to the elevator first," Dr. Hersh moved to the nurse's station followed by George who then pointed at the nearest door on their right.

"Chris, they're in the room near the stairs."

Chris walked towards the direction pointed with the STARS' customized M92F on his right hand and a knife on the left positioned below his gun hand. He did not trust the silence of the hall to last long. Hell, silence was the beginning of chaos. Arklay Mansion could attest to that.

The ex-Cop's eyes narrowed and didn't blink once even as the lights flickered. He expected something to attempt to push on the grate on the stairs or the one separating the room to another wing of Raccoon City General Hospital.

"302," he muttered. "Must be the room." Knocking gently for a second, he slowly opened the door armed and ready.

"It's just you Chris," Cindy, who on the left side of the bed, sighed. "Thank God you're fine."

Chris scanned the waitress's form and breathed deeply to see her okay too. "Glad to see you and George in one piece too. I was worried you guys were injured in the defense." He strolled to the other side of the bed, near the window, to Alyssa's right, where another foldable chair was propped. The blonde wore a white tank top and a nurse's blazer while still wearing her torn red pants. Underneath, he could see the gauze and bandage lumping beneath her clothes.

"So, how's she doing?"

The blonde waitress smiled, "She'll make it. Her injuries were treated. She'll be fine as long as she isn't moved."

His lips went taut before exhaling, "We all know that's impossible. We need to move. Their restoring power as we speak."

Cindy opened her mouth before closing it quickly. The woman looked like she wanted to protest but then her whole expression and body lightened as she slouched on the chair. Chris didn't say anything and held Alyssa's hand.

In their silence, he was glad her sister was far away. _It's a good thing she's in California visiting her friend. A long way from hellville._

He was also fortunate that both he and Jill convinced Rebecca to stay with his friend in New York. Now, only Jill plagued him. Downtown was not the safest of all places in the city. A good place to hide, to blend, but not good in unprecedented catastrophe right now as the most overpopulated area in all of Racoon city. He could only imagine the swarming undead masses in that area.

"Tch," this was not helping his nerves. He licked his drying lips itching even for just one smoke but, damn, he didn't have one on him right now. Jill had been serious in her threat and promise of making him his vice. Glancing at Cindy who looked down, hands in her lap. The raven-haired former STARS pondered what she was thinking. He could understand if she was still in shock. The way it was dropped on them was too sudden and few moments to sift through the events.

Something rumbled before he could speak.

Chris quickly stood and motioned, index finger on his lips, for Cindy to be quiet when the woman was about to speak.

 _There it is again. The rumbling sound._

Drawing the gun, Chris looked up the vents as he cocked it. "Be ready for anything." He slowly walked around the bed with each footstep echoing in the silence. He stopped in front of Cindy and Alyssa.

 _Zombie above? Are the T-Virus zombie even smart enough to do that?_ In any case, he should check things out.

It was almost indiscernible, but he caught it again. It was definitely coming from above. Standing in front of the two women, on the edge of his vision, Cindy already had her Browning handgun out. He tapped his ears and pointed up, which she nodded. Whatever the hell was that, it was getting closer.

His assumption was proven right when the vent lid came busting downwards. Cindy screamed as a black wormy covered human landed flat on its stomach with a loud squelch. Whatever covered it continuously slithered all over it.

 _It looks familiar,_ Chris decided to put that thought on the back as he did not waste time and immediately grabbed a crutch on the floor then kicked the thing. His strike sent it towards the door and crashing it open. When it rose up, from above, the former RPD struck it with the wooden crutch and breaking it in one go sending splinters flying everywhere.

"Cindy, protect Alyssa."

Most zombies would have been rendered harmless after his strong strike to the head. This thing? It didn't, it only fell and its arms caught itself from kissing the floor and rose once again as if nothing happened.

"What's goi-" George's voice abruptly stopped. "Good lord!" the doctor gasped. "Hersh, hurry up! A Slime covered zombie is here!"

"Cindy," Chris barked. "Take Alyssa and go the George. I'll hold this long as I can."

The leeches, he recognized, slithering all over its covered body flew everywhere as it ran to him. He would not let that thing touch him. He could not be sure if it was infectious or not. Chris kick it again sending it to the corner wooden table and it to the wall. With two hands, he lifts open the metal barrier and pushed it with the soles of his boots.

Leechman rolled many times and crashed into the wall harshly. "That'll keep it down." _Hopefully._

With the problem dealt with, Chris saw Cindy halfway through the station dragging a still unconscious Alyssa.

"I'll take it from here," Chris stated as he then supported the journalist on her left. "Keep your eyes open and make sure nothing like that one takes us by surprise again."

Both doctors were on the other side of the room which was separated by a wall of stacked things. He set Alyssa down against a cabinet on the far side of the door and just slightly near the window and then sat next to her. The waitress rested on the chair where the nurse would be on the left of the door. If the door would suddenly open, he was far away enough to prepare himself and cover Cindy.

Cindy took something from her right, a green, red, and blue leaf, and put it in a ziplock plastic before crushing it with the lamp foot. The plants were native to their state, especially in Raccoon city, and its neighboring cities, Stone-Ville and Arklay city.

 _Trinity,_ they call the three plants locally with its great medicinal properties if used in conjunction. Individually, each was called; _Fireplant,_ the immune system boosting red herb, _Waterplant_ for the poison healing blue herb, and _Windplant_ _,_ for the swift healing and slight pain numbing use of the green plant. Cheesy, he knew, but that was what the aboriginal natives of Raccoon city called it and must've stuck ever since. The city was famously known to export the plants expensively due to its rarity and immense use in medicines. Not to mention its specific unknown growing condition only available that made it only available to grow in the state where Raccoon was in.

If he remembered right, the scientists at Arklay mansion hypothesized they could also slow down the growth of T-Virus. They had taken some documents of how to make a prototype Anti-T-Virus pill capable of slowing the effects of said virus to the cells. Rebecca was quite adamant of continuing that line of research.

The woman crushed the leaves to the tiniest piece as she could that the essence of the plants formed a beautiful myriad of colors in the little object it was in. "I used to grow these plants in my veranda in our old home. Ever since I move in the city, my job made it harder for me to grow and care plants so, I buy the leaves and crushed them make tea out of them. They're effective for calming your nerves not just for applying in wounds. I'm so used to doing this that I leave it in my kitchen in the rare case I needed one or when I wounded. I'm preparing just in case."

"So, you were a doctor," Chris quipped.

Cindy chuckled as she crushed another batch of leaves. "No, my mother was a simple herbalist near the Arklay mountains. You could say it's a family tradition. I learned everything from my mother just as she had learned from my grandma. I know much about the plants surrounding the city and their medicinal uses. I wanted to be a doctor to study more about the plants, to know and make natural medicine, unlike the ones you see in infomercials. Sadly, we can't afford it," she said slowing her actions. "So, I ended up in J's Bar. been working there for years even after I graduated from College. What about you? What made you be a cop?"

It was Chris's turn to chortle in humor. "Didn't want to be in the first place. Dad served in the Navy and reached the ranked of Captain, granddad participated in World War II, great granddad was said to have participated in World War I, and so on. You could say it's practically a family tradition for us too. He served until he was diagnosed with Cancer and died two years later and thought it would honor his memory by following after him."

"I'm sorry," Cindy stopped what she was doing. "I didn't know it was personal to you."

Chris only gave the woman a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. It was a long time ago. So," he smiled a little more, "I joined the Air Force after I graduated from college. I was court-martialed," he scowled as his mood dampened at his mentioning of that event. His life after the Air Force turned out better than he expected. "Our family friend in the RPD, Barry, recommended me after I got back here so I and returned home and took the job."

"I thought you looked a little more trained than the usual cop."

"What gave it away?"

Her hands moved in circles as she tried to find the right words but in the end, just shrugged. "You just have it. I can't say for certain why other than you were different."

A loud ding from George cut off their conversation, "we did it!" George loudly proclaimed. "Whoever made this thing should've made puzzles instead of switches and computers. C'mon Hersh, before more of that slime thing comes back."

A shrill scream thundered and Chris, without moment's notice, ran to the source. There, on the other side of the barrier, the Leechman who fell from the vents like earlier sauntered towards the two dragging its feet slowly and with each step its foots squelched.

"Stay back, Hersh!" George pushed the other doctor handgun already aimed.

"Cindy, stay behind me."

Chris didn't let it take another step as he opened fire on its head. His bullets sent some leech falling and flying around leaving its host exposed. Chris didn't stop firing until all fifteen bullets were spent and his gun clicking from the empty ammo.

The thing only staggered to the console where both doctors worked a minute earlier. "C'mon! Before that thing rises again!" The two men ran and climbed the barrier quickly. _I can't believe that thing's still alive. Any normal zombie would have died just from the beating earlier. Even fifteen bullets to the head seemed to have done nothing._

Rotating, Cindy was already with Alyssa helping her up. The supported woman was already awake and looking confused. "Chris? What…," with one hand to her head, she asked, "happened? Feel like shit."

"Later," Cindy replied, as they then exited the station and went to the elevator fast as they could without hurting Alyssa.

"In the Doctor's station, on the ground floor," Hersh stated heavily breathing against the wall of the slightly cramped elevator. "Damn it. What was that thing!? Why is it even here in the hospital?"

"It's some sort of Leechman," Chris said. It was kinda familiar enough for it to tug his memory about something else.

On the reflection of the elevator door, George raised an eyebrow in return. "Leechman?"

"It was covered with leeches for some reason," he answered George's question. "Those creatures must be the one controlling the person beneath it. Any zombie would have died from many bullets to the head. That thing didn't."

"Leechman," Alyssa muttered. "Leech. James Marcus connection?"

Chris's eyes widened. Alyssa was a genius! Now he knew where he saw, or rather, remembered that thing! The one in Rebecca's documents. James Marcus' experiments! The one that attacked the Ecliptic Express. _How did it get here? A secret Umbrella experiment underneath?_

There was no way in hell could it reach from another part of the city to the hospital.

He went ahead on the first bell ring of the elevator opening. A lone undead moaned near the corner locker. Signaling them to be quiet, Chris drew his knife and threw it towards the zombie. Head smashed against the metal and reverberating along with the sharp bang of sharpened steel hitting a bone.

The former cop kept his eyes on the ceiling expecting the Leechman to jump out of the air ducts any moment while perusing the lockers for anything of use while the others recuperate. Only mundane things were in the lockers nothing to useful.

"What are you doing?" asked Cindy.

"Looking for anything useful."

It was a futile effort seeing at it was a hospital, but elation hit him when he found parabellum rounds in the last locker. "Someone's been keeping secrets," he muttered.

George cleared his throat. "I have been silent long enough. It's obvious from the start that you two know the answers. It's best that you two answer it while we have time so that we'll know what to expect." The doctor asserted though fell short due to his intonation and the gaze he gave them.

Chris sighed and went to grab one of the chairs and rotated it so that he was leaning towards the spine of the chair. His eyes kept glancing up and on the door. "Can't say I can provide all answers," he quipped, "but ask away doc."

"The T-Virus, what is it?"

He sighed at the question. That was one easy question, one he had no problems. "Tyrant Virus, or T-Virus for short. It's a virus designed by Umbrella to create BioOrganic Weapons or B.O.W.'s. As the name suggests, once in your system, the virus takes over a person's cells and uses that cell to create more of itself and spreads more. Repeating the same process over and over until the host becomes a T-Virus infected carrier, a zombie. Once scratched, bitten, even swallow anything from an infected, you'll get infected."

George gasp. "Dear God," he whispered.

"Why would they do that?" Cindy covered her mouth in horror while Hersh, probably disturbed didn't show it.

Alyssa moaned, who laid down on the sofa, attempted to sit but with her wound still not fully healed most likely flared. He stood to help her, but the blonde waitress helped her first. "'m fine."

His former girlfriend grimaced but then shifted to a neutral expression. "The T-Virus was made to produce the ideal super soldiers. Super strength, speed, healing factors, everything out of a comic book," she winced grabbing her wound as she rose. Thankfully Cindy stopped her. "If we survive this, I'll show it to you if you can make sense of their experiments."

"Lys you need rest. Let me do the talking."

He wanted her to let him do the talking but god, the woman was tenacious. "But we see how it all turned out. Remember the attacks on the Arklay forest months ago? The declared cannibal attacks," the three nodded which prompted her to go on. "It was all a lie. It was the T-Virus."

"The truth is," Alyssa breathed heavily and leaning on Cindy more. "Their experiment began a long time ago. Remember Arklay Hospital, needless to say, it was because of Umbrella that their experimentation and untested drug shipments were not investigated."

"So," Hersh spoke for the first time since they got in the lounge. "It was a contained?"

"Yeah. Thanks to the sacrifice of STARS." Chris scowled feeling his chest fill with anger.

George had his eyes on him that made him secretly uncomfortable. "I take it you are a T-Virus product then?" the hesitance in George's words were clear, but forced to important question had to be asked. Knowing what to expect could increase the survivor's chances of survival.

Images from _that_ night flashes in his mind. Him screaming. The scratching. He could remember the event from that night clearly as if it happened yesterday.

"Not exactly."

"Partly," Chris growled. He could feel his anger rising form his will stripped of his humanity. Stripped of his self as memories of Claire, Barry, Jill, and everyone he knew fading from his mind. The Keeper's Diary held truth to the slow but agonizing effects of the T-Virus. Only that time, whatever that bastard Wesker did, hasten its effect. "Our CO Wesker injected me with the T-Virus during our investigation of the Arklay mansion." The pain of one's humanity slowly being stripped away! The hunger within, the insatiable hunger for flesh as agony hit him with his slowly deteriorating body.

The raven-haired cop only told Jill, Rebecca, and Barry of this. Nightmares of that night still haunted his sleep. "He injected me with something else too," he paused to make the images go away. "It's what gave me my abilities."

Chris was no expert scientist but he knew enough that whatever Wesker put in him, the T-Virus merged well with the second one put in him. It stopped the infection as both substances bonded creating a symbiotic virus that resulted in his inhuman abilities, according to Rebecca that is. The T-Virus was still there but, it didn't take over his cells anymore. Rather, the Tyrant now integrated itself into his system thanks to the unknown chemical.

"I'm sorry, that was insensitive of me," George sighed running a hand through his hair and the other clenched tightly in his lap. "I just… I just can't believe that all this is real. Damn it. I bet that weasel RPD Chief and all law enforcement agency is on this if this was not investigated. I knew from the moment many allegations went his way, the man was not trustworthy."

"I can only imagine what you guys went through. But don't think of it as a curse." The doctor raised a palm to stop Alyssa or Cindy's protest. "I can see it in your eyes, Redfield, the loathing on what was given to you. While my religious soul cries for your pain. The doctor in me finds your extraordinary ability amazing."

He said nothing and let the doctor get to his point.

The raven-haired doctor gestured for the two to wait. "Imagine, what if the one given to Chris could be given millions of people in the world? Not the speed, the strength, but the ability to heal fast. Then death to grievous wound would be a thing of the past. This could save lives. The mortality rate would greatly drop. It's a shame Umbrella kept this fact." George slumped forward as he sighed.

Hersh stood and patting Chris' shoulder. "My friend is right Mr. Redfield. Think of it not as a gift from hell, but a hidden blessing."

That made him feel better, if only slightly. That was what Rebecca said to him too before she left for New York. "Maybe," he relented, only this time because Jill would worry about him if he thinks about it too much. "Like I said, you can test me all you want when we leave Raccoon city alive."

Looking at the clock, they spent nearly ten minutes conversing. Probably enough time for them to gather their wits and strength.

"We must get to the basement," the Indian doctor stated. "I know the elevator code to unlock the second basement floor but," he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, "the problem is, Dr. Scott, who is missing had the keycard that will open the door to the sewer."

Alyssa groaned and hissed as she stood. She didn't let her pain dampen the fire in her eyes, "What're we waiting for? Let's find him. He's gotta be in one of the bodies. With the Police, we can find him much faster."

"Come on," he took the lead this time. George guarded their rear flank, Cindy beside Dr. Hersh, as the Indian man covered Lys's right. "Where to?"

"In the entrance," George suggested. "The RPD squad should be there."

"What about Mark?" Cindy said, worry lacing her words. "He didn't come back from his patrol. What if that Leechman got him?"

"Let's wait before we come to a conclusion."

"George's right," Chris said. "Mark has a cool head. A monster like that leech won't get him."

On the other room, they found themselves in an examination room. Only this time, the lights flickered creating a dark looming ambiance that made it like the devil's home beckoning to come and never get out. The chaos the room can never compare to that of those he had seen in the Arklay mansion, but it was a brand-new hell of its own. Blood splatters everywhere, objects strewn all over. This was no hospital, this was a butcher house.

A male nurse sat on the chair on his right. He kept his eye on it even with a headshot already evident. Glancing back for a second, the two medical professionals pointed beyond the curtain, just before the window. _On the other side then._

Chris kept an open eye on the window and the others behind as they approach the door. He motioned for them to lean against the curtain and far from the windows as possible.

"Retreat! To the Elevator." Someone screamed, clearly in hysterics followed by moans of the dead. Thundering shots reach reached them and immediately he pushed them back. "Move. Move back."

"Get back to the office," he heard Hersh say. Gunshots continued, and his eyes never leaving the door. He waved them away.

"Go, tell everyone weapons hot."

The door banged open and Chris was quick to aim. The feeling was mutual for three handguns and SMG was pointed his way. "Run, man. Some worm covered man killed everyone!" the panicked police run past him. "We need to get out of this place! There are monsters everywhere!"

He recognized Mark's thick profile on the back of the group. The man's skin shone with sweat and uniform crumpled. "Redfield, they're right. It killed all the men stationed outside." The black man led the group to where Lys and the others were while he covered their rear. "Dogs, Worm covered monster, hell even a thing with claws you fought earlier. We were no match for them."

"Jesus," George exclaimed when they entered. The doctor dropped his gun. "You guys nearly gave me a heart attack."

"What happened," Cindy behind the two doctors asked.

"Leechman happened," he replied as he locked the door. "C'mon, help me barricade the door." They moved the tables and the spare sofa to block the doors and, what's left was used to barricade the windows. To make sure, not even the windows were spared. The floor directly below the vent.

Chris looked down from behind the sofa where Cindy sat and lay Alyssa on her lap. Her face maybe serene but judging by the rise and fall of her chest she was not asleep. Nor could Alyssa ever do, she could never sleep peacefully in a loud environment.

Now that they had time finished their blocking the door, the new group unceremoniously sat. There breaths heavy as they took the time to compose themselves. The oldest, on his mid-thirties one wearing a SWAT armor sat leaning against the wall near the door combed his auburn hair.

A thin raven-haired and unshaven RPD Officer leaned against the locker. His white uniform bloody and torn. He stared blankly into the window.

The last one, a black-haired nurse talking to Mark, George, and Hersh on his left, the right side of the now barricaded door. He gestured wildly. "How do we get out," the nurse said voice rising. "We can't get out of the front or back door. I hear their moans of death! We're going to die aren't we."

"Get a hold of yourself, son," Mark who nearly screamed, put an arm on his shoulder. "Not with that attitude we're not getting out alive, son."

The man's face scrunched, "but… everyone they, they…. died in the hands of that thing!"

"Shut up will ya!" the RPD Officer interrupted. "I have it with your ranting. You don't think we don't realize that…," his armed hand gestured at the door, "that whatever that was killed everyone! It even killed Tommy, dammit!"

"We get it," the last man groaned. "Both of you lost people you love. Get over it."

"Why you bastard!" the nurse ran fist raised at the man, but Mark quickly caught him before Chris could stop him.

"Enough," Cindy snapped. "Please, everyone calm down. I know things may look bleak but that's exactly why we should help each other. We can only rely on each other on these dark times."

"We could start by introducing each other," Alyssa stated, voice stuttering slightly. Despite that, her words remained strong. Heck of woman, Alyssa was.

The two heated men looked at each other in silence.

"SWAT Private, John Miller," the SWAT officer broke the silence introducing himself and not bothering to look at them at all.

"Officer Michael Douglas, RPD."

The nurse, who was forcefully calmed down and sat leaning against the wall who then grumbled, "Lucas McDonald."

Introducing themselves briefly, Douglas went stiff when he heard his name.

"Chris Redfield?" he muttered. "STARS member."

Alyssa snorted, "what. You're gonna believe him now," she said derision filling her voice.

"I'm so—"

"No!" She interrupted the man. "They sacrificed themselves for the truth with evidence yet you didn't believe them. This is the result of your incompetence! Everything swept under the rug by that pig Irons and now it's blowing all over Raccoon city's face!"

"What?" Miller glared at the paling still Douglas. "RPD knew about this yet didn't do anything about it!" He marched towards the Police officer. "Why you," he went for the face but Chris stopped him.

"Stop it," he ordered. His anger at his fellow RPD officers lay buried within but this was not the time for infighting. "

"What now," scoffed Miller whose face scrunched in distaste. "are we gonna sing to the zombies about peace and love."

"Easy there," George said voice steadily rising. "We are on high nerves right now, but we mustn't let it control us."

"You're not helping Miller," Chris glared at the man. "I get it, trust me. We were the first to warn them about Umbrella. If anyone's angry at them more, it's me. You may be right, still, you don't have to take it out on him now. It's useless to blame the RPD now. If you didn't realize it's not only you that's affected so if you don't have anything better to say, then shut up." He dared the man to let another word out of his mouth. The man challenged his steely gaze. The former RPD didn't ease up on his glare and only did when the man averted his eyes first.

Dr. Hersh cleared his throat making him look at the doctor. "What we need to do is find Dr. Scott. He has the card key that opens up the second basements door."

"No," the nurse argued. "I ain't going out again. Have you seen what those things can do? I've seen victims died from its scratch alone!"

"Guy's right," the RPD officer coldly added. "Not to mention some loose zombie dogs. Those things killed Jeff and Jones. It's suicide going back out there."

"Can't Redfield just smash those doors," Mark's eyes went to him. The new observers looked bewildered at this mention which he ignored.

Chris grunted, "depends. If its thick reinforced steel my strength won't tear through it." Punching thick doors was a pain in the ass and numerous punches only dent it slightly. Chris should know how tough those doors are.

Mark cursed then crossed his arms. "Fine, we'll find this Scott." The Police and the nurse reacted but one look from Mark shut them up. "You three stay here, guard Alyssa and the doctors. Redfield and I will search for whatever is left of Scott."

"I'll go with you if that's okay," George said grabbing a backpack from the locker. "We need first aid supplies, and this is the only chance we have of finding one. I also know the layout of this hospital, so I might be of use."

Chris looked at 9mm magazines he still had, _three magazines left._ Not bad but, if they ever encountered something worse than Leechman, it's going to take a whole lot of more bullets and bigger guns than what they all had. "You know the danger, George. That monster could find us."

The doctor cocked his gun and nodded. "I'll take that risk."

* * *

Reviews are appreciated as they help me improve. :)

Update 10/18/18: I edited the chapter a little. Improving some grammar I found bad and changed some lines but not affecting the flow and context of each conversation of the chapter.


	4. The Hive II

For those opening this story, thank you for even opening this humble story of mine. And thanks for those who favs and follows this! It's much appreciated.

Hope y'all like this.

* * *

Jill grunted when slight pains rocked her joints after jumping from the emergency exit. Glancing upwards briefly at their blazing apartment, without looking back she ran. The woman' eyes darted left and right, able to tell which is which, as people scrambled for their safety. Her soul wanted to help these people but, how could she when she even does not know where safety was?

 _Shit, I still have to try,_ even if her assault rifle alone can't hold these T-Virus zombies forever as they came in from all the sides, she still had to try. "Everyone follow me! Don't let them bite you or you'll get infected."

Jill ran forward towards an open door beside a shop in the middle of the zombie chaos. She let go of her rifle where it rolled on her side as she then drew her combat knife. Grounding her teeth, she kicked the zombies away sending them wailing as they stumbled down. Jill's mouth curled her mouth in distaste feeling the gore and soft tissues of the undead touched her skin.

"C'mon, move it!" she shouted, when a zombie moved towards her, with a swift thrust of the knife to the head, the undead rose no more. Three people, all teenagers with their heads down, ran to her screaming profanity in their panic. More undead came for her but she killed them with a knife to the head.

In all directions, the zombies were ever increasing, and the people were slowly being eaten one by one. Some of the zombies locked their gazes on her with their lifeless pale eyes. She swallowed hard briefly wiping the sweat off her head. "Sorry," she muttered feeling her heart drop when she turned and pushed the door closed.

"Help," a redhead teen screamed and the two kept pulling her as many digits grabbed her hair on the grated windows, their lifeless eyes very much hungry and ready to devour their target.

A male grunted in his effort to free her, but Jill can't do anything as she pushed against the strength of the many zombies. Jill threw her knife at the group landing on the ground with a loud clink. "Cut her hair! One of you help me with the door!"

The only male from the trio hesitated but nonetheless gave the knife to his blonde friend and pushed the door with Jill. Both grunted as they pushed back against the strength of the undead horde outside waiting to eat them and make them as their own.

"You two, help!" Jill barked at the two teens. "Help me with the door!"

Jill didn't know how long they could hold the onslaught, but with gritted teeth, she did for the sake of their survival. She'll feel a little bit better if she can save a few from a worse fate than death.

The three looked around very much skittish but nonetheless pushed with her.

"Nearly close," a shrill voice pitched in the midst of all the chaos screamed as the door clicked close. Even with the door close, the zombies persisted against the door making it shake. The door's lock threatening to fly off was their only signal to bolt like hell.

She only hoped that Chris was safe, wherever he was.

* * *

Never had George expected his, and all the others out there, life to turn to hell and become a film envisioned by George Romero. For it to become a literal apocalypse of science fiction. Why was fate so cruel to them?

George was a man of faith just as he was a man of science. Even so, his beliefs had its limit. This was one of those. It was like some dark magic only Satan was capable of conjuring of. If someone told him that his life would become hell like those zombie films he'd seen as a child he would argue with a thousand reasons how it's impossible to reanimate a body. Much more so that a bite can infect a person and turn them to a zombie too.

He had a normal childhood with loving parents as he grew up. Went to elementary, middle school, high school, then university like any other people on Earth. He had then worked on Raccoon General Hospital for three years before deciding to establish his own clinic on New Prague. How, then, did it become like this?

All his life, he had seen some weird things from all kind of injuries, but never on this level. He shuddered what kind of Umbrella maniac would want to decide to study and research something dangerous like the Tyrant virus. It was simply unbecoming of any scientists to have no regard for human life for the sake of research, let alone revive the dead.

Swallowing his saliva as they walked, George held on tightly on the strap of the backpack and the heavy pistol given by the RPD officer who drove them.

They went back to the hall where the massacre of the SWAT and RPD Officers happened.

 _Everyone's dead._

He swallowed deeply even though wanted to puke here and now but he held himself. It would do no better in their current situation. He was a doctor for God's sake! He had seen so much in his life.

The mutilated bodies of all the officers lie bloody broken on the floor, bathed in blood from various wounds ranging from scratches no human can do to mostly ripped open bitten necks. It even went as far for a claw to rip their bulletproof vest like it was nothing. The once pristine tiled floor now soaked red where it eerily reflected the lights, chairs, pots, and body parts strewn everywhere. Bullets holed up everywhere in their struggling fight against a likely horde.

His guts wanted to hurl and run but he resisted the urge. He chose to accompany the two. He'd rather help than do nothing.

Yes, he'd already seen worse things that could send a person standing pale when he operated on people ranging from accidental injuries to murder, but this was different. Those times were after the incident has occurred, unlike now seeing it as it was. Seeing what had just happened with his own eyes what the T-Virus can do if left alone. It rankled his morals as a doctor that what good the T-Virus could do was wasted on making weapons. As if nukes and missiles weren't effective enough for killing.

All three of them stood back to back. "Everybody stay vigilant," Chris ordered, which caused George to stiffen and looked left and right. "George," Chris whispered. "Your bag is big enough to carry firearms. Let's pick one of each and gather as much ammo as possible. We'll never get a chance like this again."

"What about the medicines," he argued. It's just as important as a weapon in this situation. That is barring a T-Virus infection which no normal medicine can stop, the medicines could come in handy if an injury like if Alyssa's wound ever opened or if someone happened to get injured.

George wanted to protest about the aspects of picking up things from dead people, but at the same time a part of him did not want their group to be left helpless, so sighing deeply, he picked all the spare firearms and bullets. He hoped the bag had enough space for other things.

Mark grunted his agreement who quickly picked up a shotgun from a man, whose last expression was of utter terror with a big three gash marring his face, then handing it to him. George for his part avoided the man's face and quickly put in the bag which three-fourths of its length inside and only its barrel peeking out of the pack.

They picked up the leftover arms, but before doing so, he would let Chris or Mark stab it in the head before picking up an item from them.

"What happened to the monsters," George muttered while picking up his umpteenth handgun ammo. The hair on his nape stood erect as he kept picking the bloody objects. Perhaps it was the silence that was killing him slowly, but whatever the case, he can't help but be worry nonstop because several minutes ago everyone was running for their lives. Now, everything was silent as if the devil himself came and took the monsters himself. He kept looking on his back and all around fearing that a monster may come out anytime.

As they were scavenging, the double door in front of him creaked and crashed open. George staggered crying and sliding unto the bloody floor. Zombies bumbled towards them, but George kept crawling backward and grabbed for his gun. With shaky arms, he aimed at the zombies.

 _Bang._ His shot hit the shoulder, it still walked towards him but before he could fire again a shot to the head caused it to bend back and soon toppled down. Strong hands pulled him up followed by a loud bang and cocking of a gun. Another round of shot echoed making him flinch from the echo of the gun.

"C'mon," Mark pulled him and wincing at the force. A horde came out of the room. In the group, dog growls mixed in the moans.

"Back to the room!" He had no objections to Mark's order.

He ran ahead and glancing at his comrades to see they were following and taking shots at the large group of undead. Once in the nurse's station, they swiftly pushed a table against the door and put every object they could find to add to its weight. Without a minute to waste, they were quick to leave the room.

In the Examination room, once again they barricaded the door. They didn't leave everything to chance. Even as another room came in between them and the horde, he could hear them banging against the door, trying to force it open.

His breath quickened with every push, lift, and movements. A loud splotched footsteps came in behind him followed by growling. His body stilled, and his breath paused knowing what it was. If it was possible, his own mind paused indefinitely.

"Duck!" Chris barked, which took him out of his stupor, and George followed without delay. His gun went off and a painful shrill moan was let out by the dog. He turned to see the rotten flesh of the dog a few meters behind him.

 _If it wasn't for Chris…_ , he didn't want to finish the thought. Hands on his chest, he recovered his breath.

Mark's strong hands pulled him up. "C'mon. We have no time to stop!" Numbly, he found nodding at his words.

A few more minutes and they were done blocking the door. They then knocked on the door to the Doctor's station. It took a minute more for them to clear the door with the barrier and open it.

Not a moment later, setting the bag on the table in between the chairs and ignoring the conversation of the six men, George found himself sitting in front of Cindy and Alyssa, with the latter resting peacefully in her lap, and right next to Hersh. He didn't know his hands were shaking until he set his gaze on it.

It was J's Bar all over again, only this time, they didn't have the advantage of numbers on their side nor the advantage of knowing where safety was. The hospital was filled the undead and was probably coming for them. For a second, he set his eyes on the windows blocked by stacked chairs and tables.

"Calm down, George.," Cindy sent him a reassuring smile. Half of him wanted to lash out and say she wasn't out there that was nearly killed but he knew she was just helping.

He returned the smile, albeit a little weakly, "I know. I just," he paused combing his hair with his hands as he then sighed, "a zombie dog nearly got me. I don't know what would've happened if Chris or Mark weren't there."

 _Probably be already dead and turned to a zombie_ , he shivered. His heart constricted at the thought of being of being one of those undead creatures. "I'd rather kill myself than become a monster," he muttered.

Closing his eyes, he leaned on the back of the sofa, he let out a shaky huge breath.

"But you didn't," the blonde waitress replied. For someone so gentle looking like Cindy, she was much tougher than she looks. "That's what matters."

 _You're alive, George. That's what matters._

He clenched his fist and opened it. Repeating the process till his hand stopped shaking. Or was reduced that he could probably aim better now.

"Shh," Chris gestured for them, which he was, to be silent. "Did you hear that."

Before the SWAT personnel can say one word, the discernible moans of the zombies outside their door. His calmed heart sped up once more.

"Oh god, they're going to kill us," the nurse whispered aiming the pistol he's been given at the door. Chris, Mark, Michael, and John set their arms on the door ready for anything that might burst through it.

Miller glared at the Lucas daring him to say anything more.

George for his part, crouched next to the two women with one hand clutching their bag of weapons and the other holding his gun. They waited for anything that might happen next. Seconds passed to become minutes, and something banged against their door. During this, he held his breath as if his ever puff of air can be heard by the abominations of nature. Though, considering how superhuman Chris was now, it wouldn't be far fetched for him to say that these Umbrella created monsters would have sensitive senses. He couldn't say what could be and what could be not created by that Pharmaceutical company without any information regarding their Bio Organic Weapons —or "B.O.W.'s" as they were called.

They waited for several minutes for it to go worse yet the moans and cries of the undead never amounted to anything. No beating of the door followed it.

He breathed in relief and looked at the others.

"It looks like they're just there doing nothing," Mark grumbled. "We're safe. For now."

The nurse laughed weakly, "lucky us. What do we do now."

"What we do now," Miller said, clearly calmed now, "is find that missing doctor so we can get the hell out of this place. I'm not gonna spend another moment in a place with leech guy, zombie dogs, and god knows what more!"

"Chris and I will search the upper floors," Mark stated. "You lot will guard the five of them."

Closing his eyes, he breathed and then said, "I'll come with." Chris protested but he looked the man in his eyes. A second later, the man relented with a hesitant nod. He brought a lot of bullets for his handgun and left the bag in the care of others. Mark hefted a shotgun across his torso with a chain of shotgun shells too. Chris just opted for his handgun and knife.

Before the elevators, Chris turned towards the others, "Keep your eyes open on the vents. That's where the Leechman entered last time," he said this before turning to enter the elevator. "Miller, we trust you to protect them."

The SWAT Officer's nod was the last thing they saw before the door closed. They rode on the elevator, while this was happening, he took deep breaths knowing what he was about to face and what could happen.

"So," Mark began, "about this missin' doctor. Y'know what he looked like or where he might be, George."

Looking away for a second, he nodded. "Yeah." Truth be told, he tried to remember what Dr. Scott looked like, but it was foggy. He and the other doctor were never close. The man was a bit of a recluse and always in the lab in the hospital basement floors. Quite friendly but never opened much to the staff. "His office is on the third floor," he said as he pressed the said number.

Glaring at him, he gulped at Mark's narrowed eyes. "Don't tell me we have to search for everybody in the hospital, George. We ain't got time to do that."

Mark was right, but they had no choice but hope that the good doctor was right here or else they would have to traverse the zombie-filled streets of Raccoon city.

"I know," he retorted, very much exasperated. "But what can we do? He and I were never close nor met all the time during my work here for me to really know him at all. We rarely even met and it was years ago! You can't expect me to remember his face that well. All I know is that his office is on the third floor. Plus, if it's the only choice we have, I'd rather suffer looking for him and take the sewers than go to the streets."

Mark had no reply to his word which he took as an agreement from the man.

Mark taking the right side of the door while Chris took the left. The former STARS officer gestured for him to lean against the wall and he did so without protest.

"God help me," he muttered as the button lit up on number three. "Let's start in the labs." God knew how his former colleague was a workaholic. Always in the labs, unless his skill was needed elsewhere.

When the door pinged open, Chris took the lead and stopped them with a gesture of his palm while he peeked to the left and Mark to the right.

"Where's the lab," the former RPD Officer asked whispering.

He pointed to the left, "just straight ahead of the third room."

If he somehow knew Dr. Scott, the man would've worked tirelessly until he found a cure or at least a treatment to delay the effects of T-Virus. The third floor was a mess just like the floors below them, bodies brutally slew as their already dried blood pooled around them.

"If he's not here then it's possible he's in the basement labs."

Chris signaled for them to stop, "we'll check it out later. For now, we should check out the rooms first before heading to the lab," he gestured at the nurse station.

"But let's make it quick," George's eyes flitted around and focused on the dead littering the hall and shivered. "I'll come with you Chris, Mark can guard the door."

Was it bad of him to order Mark to guard the door while he followed the person who he knew had the largest chance to survive? He silently apologized to Mark hoping the man would understand his reasons.

The man nodded, "I'll call if anything happens."

As they went inside, the room was similar to the nurse center on the floor below but with the remaining space on the right a room that served as the nurse's resting place. Everything was in disarray, chairs were thrown everywhere, and objects blocked the door to the nurse quarters.

George kept his eye out on the vents, wary of that Leechman. If those two, who came with them as part of the hospital's security team could be scared then no doubt it's hard to kill. Hell, even Chris beat it up but came back after the security detail with no problem.

Pulling a drawer, he was shocked to see a whole box of handgun bullets, "Chris look," he pocketed the bullets and gave the left half to the former cop.

"C'mon," the man went out first, "there's nothing here. Though I did find a First Aid Spray. Records didn't indicate that the doctor came in. Though we still should check it out."

Slowly, they move forward, but George kept his eyes peeled ready for anything that may come their way. Click clack their shoes went with every step, and ashamed as George was, he was in the middle of the formation with Chris on the front and Mark on their rear.

The next room they entered was "301" where the door was stuck, but with a little bit of nudge from Chris, the door finally opened.

"On my mark," the man whispered, he silently yet slowly opened the door. The door hinges creaked, and George's heart jumped and winced as he then looked back praying to God that no one heard that.

"George, c'mon!" Mark hissed holding the door open for him. He hurriedly went in and looked back the last time.

Just like the rest of the hospital, the room was a mess. The room was bigger than the room Chris had been. The bed faced the two windows with the television nestled in between.

The moment he laid eyes on the hospital bed he had to close his eyes and look away at the scene. He did so because there, lying on the hospital bed, was an old man, wearing the hospital security guard uniform, with his left arm bitten and the other one holding a pistol. Beside him were two females, one on the right was a brunette in her prime and on the left was— he gagged— was little girl probably eight to ten years of age. All of them had holes in their heads and wore resigned yet peaceful expressions.

"Oh God," he muttered putting his left hand on his mouth. _Why?..._ was the only thing that came to him as his chest rose up and down faster. He breathed deeply, each one longer than the one before. For a child to have that expression, she must've had believed in her parents just to get away from the fear.

"George!" Chris snapped at him. "Get a hold of yourself."

And he just did what he was told and stomach the site of the dead family. Approaching them, he made the sign of the cross and silently prayed for them. _God have mercy on your souls._ Silently apologizing to the man, he checked their pockets for anything of importance and found four-digit numbers on a piece of bloody paper.

 _0930_ , the paper read.

"What do you suppose the number's for?" Chris asked.

"I'll just keep it just in case," George pocketed the paper.

After a few minutes of checking and finding nothing, they went out. The minute they did, George screamed when the Leechman rush towards them. Chris put himself between them and kicked the monster away.

Chris screamed as he held the monster and threw it against the door of 301. Mark grabbed a crutch and hit the monster with it sending it sprawling inside of the room. "George," Chris ordered, "stay here."

The two followed it inside. All that can be heard outside was the crashing and the grunting of them.

"What the hell?" Mark screamed. It had George's heart pumping faster wondering if one of them got hurt fighting the monster. "Isn't he— the?!"

He almost jumped out of the way when the two burst of the room and ran towards him. Chris grabbed him by the collar just in time for Leechman to come out stumbling faster than he'd expected towards them.

Mark threw a chair at the monster to no avail as it still sauntered towards them unimpeded. The thing screeched only to stop when Chris shot it on the head. Leechman jumped in the vents. The loud banging of the creature echoed atop of them as it escaped _. Hopefully far away from them_ , he prayed never taking his eyes away from the vents as he slowly backed towards his stronger comrades.

"Jesus," he muttered. _How does it keep finding us!_

"C'mon," Mark urged. "The faster we get out of here the better."

Chris grunted in agreement.

Once again, he was in the middle with Mark taking the rear —with his shotgun ready— while Chris took the front. One by one they checked every room the saw. Nothing came out of their search and it was good too that they encountered nothing on their search. He prayed that their good luck lasts but he knew that no such thing could ever happen.

The walked slowly to the last door at the end of the hall. The officer door that had a golden plaque that said "Dr. Scott T. Jones" in bold letters. Below his name showed his professions; Biochemist, Neurologist, and Pathologist.

"Someone's a prodigy," Mark commented.

"He is," he replied as Chris slowly opened the door. Dr. Scott was the talk of the hospital of how they were lucky to have someone smart as him work at a simple place like Raccoon General Hospital instead of working for some big company like Umbrella. Considering how deep the corruption of that ran, he wouldn't be surprised if his former colleague really was secretly working for them. Not far fetched to think since most of RPD was under their pay.

It was their luck that the door did not make any sound but still, he saw Chris poke his knife on the door and stiffened.

Before he or Mark could say anything, he held out his palm mouthing "five" at them.

"On my mark," Chris said quietly, "we barge in and quickly kill them all."

Kicking the door open, Chris went it first pistol raised and shot. George followed and regardless whether he hit his target or not, open fired. Satisfaction filled him when two staggered by when he hit their him, Mark fired at the zombies hitting them in the head just as Chris did.

The two did not give one quarter to the fallen as they went to make sure to double check on the five.

After a few minutes when all undead were taken down, he allowed himself to sit in a chair and breathe heavily. The door clicked close courtesy of Mark. Dr. Scott's office was ruined. Blood splattered all over the wall and floor and the door to the right that led to the office was broken, possibly forced by the undead, with the thing inside it strewn all over the place. The walls all scratched, the chair laid broken on the floor, all the books and notes scattered, and a dead body in a white coat laying still on the corner of Scott's office.

The door behind the table where the secretary worked was locked. Chris to that while he immediately ran to the body in the office and made the dead man look up. His excitement died faster than a zombie. It wasn't the doctor they were looking for.

Footsteps came behind him, and he knew from the wide girth of the shadow that it was Mark. "That Dr. Scott?"

"No," he sighed. "Found anything?"

"Not much," replied Mark, very much annoyed. "Found some gauze, alcohol, and a bottle of antiseptic." Mark patted the zippered pocket of his jacket. "Redfield's checking something out in the lab and be out in a minute. We have to get out now. No telling what monster heard the noise we made."

Numbly, he nodded as he searched at the drawers and gesture for Mark to help him. Nothing important was found aside from the picture of the creature —the one Chris fought back on the main road—that had him gaping at it for a second before examining it. It was similar in nature, except for its bluish tint and longer frog-like nature with its webbed arms and feet along with bulbous chin. The monster was put in a water chamber that kept it docile. Written on the back was _Hunter_ _ʏ._

"Even in the hospital they have these things," he muttered pocketing the evidence.

With nothing else to find, they left the room and found Chris in the office lounge reading a few pieces of paper.

The former RPD's body was stiff, and all his thoughts pointed to something bad. He hoped it wasn't.

"George, take a look at this," he said handing out the paper.

George, for his part, didn't question the man and simply did as he was told. The file was a copy of a handwritten file, but his eyes widened when he read the title of the file; _T-Virus Vaccine._

 _We have concluded that whatever ailed the patients that let them become "zombies" comes from the way the virus when in contact with another person through injury. The "Zombie virus_ _,_ _" as we have coined it_ , _when absorbed by the cell_ _into its own hijacks the cell's intended functions, using them to produce virions similar to the original. The new virions are then released from the host cell and infect the neighboring cells, which starts the process all over again_ _._

 _In our initial research_ , _we have noted that there is a variation of infection rate among individuals_ _,_ _most likely due to differences in immune system strength. Some succumb after eight hours while others lasted longer._

 _We have also found out that some individuals are somehow immune to the virus and going as far as to slow the effects of the zombification process even going far as lasting beyond the eight hour hour mark in which victims usually display the virus symptoms which includes: hormonal imbalance due to hormone imbalance which later causes the cannibalistic hunger and having uncontrollable anger_ _,_ _necrosis which causes mental retardation_ _,_ _deterioration of memory_ _,_ _and_ _loss of motor and_ _language skills._

 _Aside from those immune_ _,_ _we_ _thought the virus to be unstoppable by any means and medicines we have here. But through trial and error_ _,_ _with some people as willing volunteers and a few of our employees_ _,_ _we have found a way to slow the progress of the virus once in the body._

 _The answer lay in the three natural herbs only found here in Raccoon city; the green_ _,_ _red_ _,_ _and blue herb. It is common knowledge that the three when combined and ingested or put in wounds vastly, helped the healing process whether it_ _'s a physical injury or common disease such as cold_ , _fever_ _,_ _cough_ _,_ _and etc. The U-Herb_ _,_ _or the Unity herb_ _,_ _we found out was able to slow down the infection rate of the zombie victims thanks to the research of Dr. Robert._

 _Using the blood of those immune individuals…._

The more George read, the more he was impressed with Dr. Scottt, the man he thought to have been under Umbrella's payroll. Him along with the staff and patients of RCGH, was able to thought of a way to stop, or rather slow, the virus giving the patient enough time to live. Though he didn't understand it fully without knowing what the T-Virus was—and because he was a Surgeon, Pediatrician, and had a near in-depth knowledge of Virology first and foremost— so he only got the gist of what the documents said.

When he reached the end of the file, the handwriting slowly became illegible but he carried on reading.

 _It is to my regret that I am the last man alive as the undead has broken through our barricades before we could make try the fruits of our research. The others have succumbed to the illness for reasons beyond me. We have closed the shutters_ _and barricaded the doors and windows with what we have. The virus must come from the_ _water_ _,_ _t_ _here is no other conclusion._

 _In my haste_ _,_ _I was able to copy the research data_ _,_ _sealed many Vaccine bases in the hidden safe in 401_ _,_ _and hopefully, Georgia and Kathy was able to put Vaccine medium base in the B3F lab in preparation just as I told her to before the barricades fell and the others died. I pray that they_ _'re still alive._

 _The safe is hidden behind a painting and the code is 0918_

 _To whoever read this_ _,_ _I pray to God that our efforts bore fruit in saving at least a few lives from whoever created these monsters. Please put an end to this hell._ _Avenge the fallen_ _and bring those responsible for this to justice. We have found out that Dr. Ethan_ _,_ _Howard_ _,_ _and Robert have been working for Umbrella. The off limit 3B floor is a lab used to cultivate frog-like monsters_ _,_ _and it is with good luck that any morality they have left allowed us to use the equipment there as we used the other labs to delegate other tasks._

 _I beg_ _the reader to let me return to my family. In the back of this documents is a photo of my family and a sealed object. I pray that you will live and plead that you give this to them as a favor from a dead man._

 _Oh god_ _,_ _I_ _could hear them just outside my door! I going crazy! I could hear the squishing sounds in the vents while they knocked on my door. Dear God_ _,_ _I_ _pray I don't turn like them._

 _Guess my time is up. Forgive me, God, for I have sinned._

 _I hope you are safe my beloved and my little Toni. It looks like I_ _'ll be watching from above now._

 _Sincerely_ _,_

 _-Scott T. Jones_

George didn't realize that his hand shook after he read the letter. At the back was a photo of Scott Jones—a pale man older than him by fifteen years that had a clean face with red hair—smiling with a beautiful woman beside him while carrying a child four to five years of age. Looking up at his two fellow survivors, "Chris," his throat felt heavy that it hair threatened to squeak but he continued nonetheless, "this, this is our hope. Dr. Scott and the others gave us hope. Protection against the T-Virus."

"Will it work," Chris asked while checking his weapons.

He sighed as he looked down at the documents with hope, "I don't know. But we got to at least try." _I hope so_ , he looked at the file before pocketing it in his suit's inner pocket.

"Right," the cop nodded. "On to the fourth floor."

"Chris," he said giving the photo he found to him. "Do you know what's that?"

"Another form of Hunter?" he glared at the picture, his hand shaking from probable anger at Umbrella for making another monster.

"Let's hope we don't meet those here."

He agreed with Mark's sentiment. As if they didn't have enough trouble.

The former cop stopped and looked up. George could hear it too. The slight thud of metal. "Fuck," Chris spat. "We gotta hurry!"

"Let's hope this cure works," Mark muttered loud enough for them to hear. "I'll take point." The man opened the door slowly and George felt his sweat dripping and his heart thundering inside his chest.

 _Me too._ The document in his suit's inner pocket felt heavy just thinking of the efforts of the hospital staff that died even if they could just save a few people from being part of the undying.

Once again, George was stationed between the two in their formation. They walked in silence, and without knowing what heard their earlier scuffle, George was glad for the vigilance of the two. He knew he was relying on them, but he could only admit that with shame since

"Shit," Mark cursed when they rounded the corner and gestured for them to stop. Chris peeked, that had his expression morphed the same as Mark's scowl.

"Hunters," he whispered. "three of them."

George paled at that. Behind them, he heard the monster banging against the door continuously. "They're coming," Chris said just as the office door suddenly banged open and wet splotchy echoed in the hall. "George," he said looking him deep in the eyes," Distract the leech, we'll take care of the Hunters."

He could feel his sweat drip faster, and his heart beating fast as lightning just hearing the monster getting closer. He flinched when Chris put a hand on his shoulder. "Go... got it," he swallowed heavily.

Looking back, his arms shook but nonetheless, he aimed pistol ready. "I have two more ammo," he muttered to himself. When he saw the leech covered man turn on the corner, he fired and flinched as thunderous shots came from behind him the same time he fired. He fired at it and the leeches on the chest of the monster falling off with every shot, but it still it bumbled forward with no problem.

He couldn't look back to see what was happening, only the grunts and screech of those clawed monster was the only clue he had as to what was happening. George could feel the tremble of his hand worsen as the Leechman drew closer. He backed away, and he and cursed when the gun clicked.

George screamed wide-eyes when the Leechman reached out its arm like a tentacle. His knees gave out on him and he crawled away from it.

Standing and reaching for his back pocket, he turned to run from the thing only to freeze mid-step and facing a muscular green scaly clawed monster running towards him.

George flinched and closed his eyes ready to face the claws about to thrust at him.

The thing screeched falling sideways to the right but still more shots opened fire. The loud weapon fire had his ears slightly ringing. "Run you fool!" Mark exclaimed. "To the elevator!"

When he opened his eyes, Mark marched towards him and fired causing a lot thud behind him."C'mon," Mark urged, pulling him and dragging him by the collar. "The faster we get out of here the better."

He screamed when the man pushed him forward causing George to match his pace. Looking back, he saw the stair shutters ripped open. Chris roughly pulled him inside the elevator and Mark got in just in time to see the Leechman fumble in front of them before the door closed.

He released a breath that he didn't know he was holding and wiped the sweat and water from his face. With shaky hands, he reloaded the gun. When the door opened, Chris left without warning and only said, "wait here. I'll get the vaccine."

Mark grunted and narrowed his eyes as he aimed the gun at the open door, daring any undead to surprise them. A minute later, Chris returned with a small box and was quick to press the third floor basement button.

They all blinked when the elevator stopped on the ground floor, George stepped back clutching both gun and vaccine with his body. Fast gunshots echoed along with screams outside and when the door opened the others screamed going in as Miller shot the leech zombie with his submachine gun. Chris and Mark aimed at the monster but the SWAT officer retreated in before closing the door.

Before any of them ask what happened Miller already said, "the fucker just came out of nowhere! Son of a bitch's tough." The man reloaded his gun and took deep breaths.

Chris said something to Alyssa and Cindy but tuned them out when Hersh asked, "any good news."

He didn't fault his friend's voice shaking when they had another dance with death. "Did you know that the others have made a cure?" He decided to ask his friend.

Hersh gasped, "really?!" he forcefully turned George at him and shook him. He nodded numbly looking at the box he held. "I…," he clutched his head, "I didn't know. I came here and saw the others already dead. I thought this place was safe, but… I hurried to get the 2B and got the memo Scott had the card."

"I see."

When the elevator opened, Chris and Mark took the front. The halls were barren but dried blood was all over the floor. The four of them, him, Cindy, Alyssa, Hersh, and Lucas, were in the center while Miller and Douglas guarded their rear.

The lab, fortunately for them, was still in one piece. No equipment or item was destroyed. Looking up, there was no large vent for the leech to enter. Chris gesture for them to stop.

"I'll check the room first," he said. "I'll call when it's clear. You five," he pointed at Douglas, Miller, McDonald, Cindy, and Alyssa, "stay here. We'll make the cure"

"Is the cure really true?"

He shrugged, but deep inside, he wanted for what he believed to be true; that the cure was real and works rather than a failed prototype. He may have got what the doctor has written but he was grasping at straws without any knowledge of the T-Virus aside from Chris and Dr. Scott's words. "We don't know but it's better than nothing."

A minute later, Chris motioned for them to follow him. Behind him, Mark said, "call us if there's an emergency."

"Don't scream," Chris said.

He gasped and covered his mouth when he entered. Hersh had a similar reaction to him, and he couldn't fault his friend for it. There, on the center of the lab, was —or rather were— the creature he had seen from the photograph. The three hunters laid in their tanks peacefully as if they weren't bred for destruction. He scooted away from it and walked backed against the wall looking at it warily.

"God," Hersh muttered in front of him. "This is what Umbrella creates?"

"And more," Chris replied not taking his eyes off the two creatures. "Giant snake, cockroach, rabid dogs and monkeys, mutated little girl, you name it. Hersh," Chris said, turning his head slightly, "can you call Miller just in case."

His friend followed the order without question and he envied his friend for removing himself away from these things.

A second later, the door opened. "Holy shit!" The SWAT officer gaped at the hunters gun already only for Chris to stop him.

"Keep an eye on the Hunters."

They found the synthesizer as described by Dr. Scott on the other side of the room. It had a dozen slots where the medium base is placed. "Mark, could you get the vaccine medium on the refrigerator over there," he said pointing at the small cold storage beside the desk where various equipment lay. Inside it was ten red colored substance that he knew contained the blood of those infected who had a stronger immunity to the T-Virus and the combined red, green, and blue herb processed together before being manually combined with the medium.

"Here," the man put all base in the slots and George activated the machine.

The synthesizer whirred but stopped a minute later. George clicked his tongue, "I forgot to transfer the tank's power."

"Anythin'?"

George resisted the urge to glare at them instead tuned out what they said to focus on what he was doing. Just as the doctor said, the vaccine medium synthesizer shared power with the tanks containing the Hunters with the hospital running on emergency power. It can't fully function with only half power.

Sweat fell off his head as he transferred all power to the synthesizer. "Damn it, it's just like the one before," he said remembering the puzzle like the equipment they used to give power to the elevator. He grinned when the first row glowed all green instead of just one. Pulling the levers of the machine according to the notes of the doctor, everything went green on the screen. The vaccine base samples lowered and the machine did its thing.

He jumped when the Hunters in the tank beat their clawed hands against the glass. Without prompt, the three open fired at the tank. Handgun, shotgun, and submachine gun peppered the monsters as they then broke free from their cage. George joined with the shooting and the one near them plopped face down on the floor. A louder screech came from the dying thing before falling like the other one.

Gunshot and screaming —specifically Cindy's—came from the other room. "Cindy!" George screamed running only to be stopped by Mark.

He tried to brush off the man's hand but couldn't, so he glared at him. "Finish that cure first. Chris and Miller will handle it. I'll cover you if anything comes our way."

Hands shaking, he combined the two vaccine components whilst resisting to look at the door where the gunshots continued. "Just a little more," he muttered through gritted teeth.

When he was done, George, with shaking hands, put the vials full of the cure inside a test tube rack and put it in a metal case —that fit the rack— with a handle he found on the table.

Mark led him out with the gunfire still present. He saw the others struggling to pull away Douglas from the Leechman. With a final grunt from Chris, they finally pulled the monster away from the police officer sending it crashing against the wall.

They all ran outside knowing the monster was unkillable. "Can't we kill the thing?" Lucas screamed as they ran towards the elevator.

"Unless you have a flamethrower then no," Chris reacted carrying Alyssa with two hands. "We can't waste any more bullets fighting it."

 _Flamethrower?_ Looking at Hersh, he seemed to have the same idea as him that when they reached the elevator he pressed the 2B making the others look at him harshly.

"Killing it is good and all," Miller glared at him, "but we still don't have the key card yet. How're we supposed to get out!"

George had it! They're running for their lives and Miller had the audacity to only think of the negative ones and not what they achieved? Hersh came in between him and Miller. "We'll think about that later. One step at a time. If a fire is effective against the leech, then we have the temperature lab in the second-floor basement. We can burn it there."

"How sure are we about this?" Miller looked at Hersh skeptically. George glared at Miller. "We can't waste more time."

"We can defeat him if we do this," Hersh reassured placating the hot-tempered man. "No need to get stressed."

George realizing what happened, breathe deeply. He was stressed. They were all stressed. He needed to calm down and be the voice of reason when others couldn't. Chris, Miller, and Mark took the lead as just now noticed Douglas clutching his left arm which was bleeding profusely from a deep scratch.

Mark led the group. Walking beside Chris, he turned at the others. The nurse looked up and back warily as he supported their injured friend while Miller covered their rear. Cindy smiled at him but he knew it was a farce and the woman was feeling the same as him.

Slowly, Mark opened the door and motioned for them to be silent. And he knew why, inside he shivered when he heard moans of the dead. Letting go of the shotgun, he drew his handgun. He moved away just before the black man fired two shots before gesturing for them to follow. The first thing he saw was the two zombies on the floor perfectly shot in the head and the things were haphazard. Papers were strewn everywhere and equipment lay broken on the floor.

The nurse laid the injured policeman on a chair on the corner on the desk in front of the door. He grabbed something from the bag. Chris put Alyssa next to him making her lean on the wall.

"So, how do we lure the leech zombie?" Miller asked. "Do we wait for it since it somehow knows where we are or…." He gestured with his free hand spinning, searching for the word.

George saw a notebook on the table. The notebook was torn and worn out that its hardcover was folded. Small blood splattered it and reading a little of it, he immediately knew that Alyssa would like it when she reads it later and so put it in the back. The note tucked in it only helped what little he read in it.

On the back, someone grunted for a second.

"Guys," he said gathering everyone's attention except Alyssa who was unconscious. "There's trouble."

Something behind crashed to the floor. Turning, it was the Leechman which most likely fell from the ceiling. George, gun raised and stood behind Miller who covered their two injured comrades and the three of them. Mark hit its back with a chair and Chris punched it sending it stumbling forward. The leeches attached to it flew all over.

The two of them ran to the next room and none of them moved when the leech zombie followed. Scuffling and grunts came from the other room.

"No, don't move," the nurse said pushing back Douglas as he wanted to stand.

Giving the T-Virus Vaccine to Hersh, he walked where the fight was. Looking back, the others were vigilant. Miller already had his weapon ready. Gulping, he opened the door just to see Chris push the monster in another room behind the clear glass and closed the door. Mark immediately pushed a button on the panel.

Slowly, smoke came from the leeches and walked to and fro while stumbling. Gradually, the leeches fell off until the undead kneeled and now fell face first on the floor. All the leeches lay unmoving all around the dead man.

"You did it," he muttered, peering through the glass to see if the thing was still moving. Chris went it first, and George followed him. He wanted to see who was the unlucky victim that became the Leechman. His eyes widened when he saw that it was the doctor they were looking for!

The man was still in his white coat but his flesh, _oh God_ , he gagged. Scott's body was really sucked dry that his bones can be nearly seen under his skin. The hollowed, open mouth and wide eyes blank expression horrified him the more he looked at the dead doctor. He flinched at the creaking bones when Chris turned him over.

George didn't ask why he bothered to search the god only know how long dead man. Chris turned to him smirking when he fished something out of the pocket. He couldn't help but feel the elation building within his chest.

"Looks like he had it all along," Chris said.

When they got back to the others and showed them the card, the other's expression lit up.

"Finally! I've had with this... this shit!" exclaimed Lucas while helping the injured policeman who merely smirked.

Miller rolled his eyes, "not yet, dumbass. Where do we go from here? No doubt Raccoon's crawling with these monsters."

"We have to go to RPD," Cindy suggested. "That's where the survivors will go."

"Bullshit," Miller spat. "For all we know RPD has already fallen! We got to find a way out."

"We're going nowhere!" George interrupted, glaring at the hot-headed man. "We'll discuss this later. You need to know what's in the sewers." Grabbing the back, he fished the note. "Here," he showed it to everyone.

"Great," Mark grumbled just as Chris swiped the card causing to the card reader to lit green. "Now we have monsters on the sewers now. How're we gonna burn it."

"At least we have a boat," Lucas said sighing showing his relief. "Finally some good news."

"How sure are we that this is real?" Miller asked, making him look at the man in disbelief. Yes, no doubt he wouldn't believe that this is all real had Chris and Alyssa told him before Raccoon became hell, but at seeing it with his own eyes now, he couldn't doubt —or at least disregard it fully—things if they came from Umbrella employees.

"Better believe it," the former STARS member said with a shake of his head. "Back in Arklay, we saw giant snake, zombie dogs, giant sharks and spiders, and an unkillable hunchback woman."

None of them can say anything about that one. If Chris had abnormal strength and speed then no doubt the things he mentioned could be true too. Then again, he didn't say anything because all of them were elated when they saw a boat chained to a pipe next to gasoline canister. Helping Alyssa with Cindy, they set them on her on the boat along with the Douglas while Chris broke the chain.

"No choice but to kill it then," was Chris' reply grabbing spare ammo from the bag. "We don't know how big it is, so I ask you to help us kill it." When he said this, he looked at him, Mark, and Miller. "Two can remain and guard Lys and Douglas."

He resisted the urge to curse, not to Chris but to those Umbrella bastards. He can see his reasoning and was willing. "Cindy," he said to the woman, "stay here and guard Alyssa."

The look Cindy gave her was a defiant one. "I appreciate the worry George, but I think we'll need every one of us on this one."

"I'll stay and cover them," Lucas said and Hersh nodded in agreement.

"Okay," Chris said jumping in the water that reached their waste. "Mark and I'll lead the way. You three cover our backs."

George wondered how big was the leech really was. When they reached a bridge, he looked down to see how deep the sewers ran. He briefly wondered how deep it was and how much of it was a secret lab Umbrella. All of this monstrous experimentation running under the nose of all Raccoon citizens. How deep did Umbrella's cover go? Was the mayor on it? He wouldn't be shocked if it really was the case

A few minutes of walking, and they saw giant cocoons of leeches and bigger than normal leeches slithering on the wall and ceiling blocking the sewer canals. He didn't know how many times he had to be left speechless by the unnatural things that Umbrella was capable of making! If a leech could hatch those many eggs, then he could only speculate how big the leech was!

He didn't mind it when Cindy, using her free hand, grasped his hand and gently curled around it.

"Good God!"

It was an understatement, he thought of Miller's words.

Chris shot the eggs causing several to easily pop off like a bubble wrap. The water bubbled and a giant blue-green leech screeched spitting leeches flying off its mouth causing the three of them to immediately step back. The thing jumped towards them making him pull Cindy and run back. Both their breaths were erratic as they could see Chris, Mark, and Miller shoot the damn thing that spat some light green saliva which they avoided.

George nodded at Cindy when she looked at him and drawn his gun. The three of them stuck to the walls giving him a straight shot. Breathing deeply, he tried to stop his shaking hands best as he can. _Bang!_ The first shot became multiple and beside him, a second deafening shots came from Cindy. The giant leech screeched and flailed its body in turn.

The thing spits and he heard Miller screamed as he ran back taking off his armor and helmet. He resisted the urge to help the man and focused on the top priority. Once the gun clicked, he replaced it with another clip. Looking at the woman beside him, he motioned for her to back away seeing as the monster was getting closer and he didn't want to end up like Miller.

"Bullets don't seem to do against it!" He told Chris but the man seemed focused on shooting it still. Racking his brain for something—anything— to help. _The gas canister!_ "Anyone has a lighter!" he asked as he came back to shooting the leech.

"Why the hell are you asking for a...," Miller coughed, "a... a lighter you!" He coughed some more and he got the message.

"The gas! Burn it with gas!" Running back and pulling Cindy along with him, he grabbed the gas. The two conscious men looked at him with silent questions expressed in their eyes. Turning he then said, "Cindy, stay and protect them."

"But—"

"Trust me," he replied. "It'll be quick." _I hope it would be._ He hoped that his expression didn't betray his words because he himself was not sure that burning it with gas would be enough to kill it.

He was silently relieved when the woman nodded.

Dashing back to where the others' where still shooting it. He blinked when he saw Chris just knifing the monster. Knocking himself off his stupor with the shake of his head, he had time to be impressed later. "Chris!" Opening the container, he doused the giant monster.

He screamed when the leech raised its body and about to crush him. His breath stopped and gasped when he was pulled. "Out of the way fool!"

Some more screaming that he didn't understand what was said occurred. All he could see was that the thing nearly killed him!

Chris took out a lighter and lit the water. The fire swiftly reaches the leech making it dance and writhed in pain as its whole body easily lit up shining the dark dank sewers. Not only that, he scrunched his nose from the hideous smell of its burning flesh. Miller stood beside him and drawn his pistol to shoot at the leech.

Its painful screech and gunshots were all they heard until it plopped and sunk into the water.

Chris took the lead and gesture for them to stop with his palm as he went to check it with a knife on the ready. When it didn't rise anymore, he sighed. It was a good thing his plan worked out. If it didn't, then he didn't know what to do. He wasn't sure bullets could end it!

George blinked when someone called him. Looking at the caller, it was Chris. "Are there any more gas?" Juggling the container, there was still some left and nodded in response before giving it to Chris.

"Miller, ready the boat."

The man went to the colony of leeches and dousing it with whatever gas left and lighting it. The leeches stood no chance as the fire claimed them. Looking back, he then said, "Chris, I'll head back to the boat first."

Alyssa—breathing heavily— was awake and talking when he came back.

"Is Chris alright?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said sitting to the left of Alyssa on the edge of the boat as Cindy took the journalist's right facing Douglas and Lucas sitting on both sides the engine. "Somehow, we killed the giant leech." He made Alyssa lean on him.

Wiping the sweat off his brow, Lucas let out a deep breath. "Thank god."

Minutes later, the others returned and hopped on the boat. Chris crouched and took the front with his back against them while Miller and Mark just in front of them.

No words were said as they left the hospital. What he thought was a safe place was nothing but a trap for the living by the ever unresting undead.

 _Terrors are a constant companion._ He thought the as the boat moved forward slowly for the sake of their two injured comrades. _It lurks in the shadow_ _,_ _ready to strike at any moment. Today_ _,_ he sighed as they were just passing the bridge. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply trying to get the image of the dead people back in the hospital out of his mind. The monster, Hunter Gamma, created under the place that was supposed to be a place of healing. The hunter leech zombie and the hunter nearly killing him. The sucked body of Dr. Scott after he was turned to a monster even after all their efforts to help stop the virus. Dr. Scott's written last moments.

Try as he could, he couldn't. He knew why.

George felt the documents of the T-Vaccine became heavier in his pocket. _It chose me. Yet somehow_ _,_ _I kept it together at that suffocating hospital._

He would not let their effort be in vain. "I suppose I should be thankful for that," he muttered looking at his brother-in-arms in all of this mess.


End file.
